


Dream Smp x Some Kind Of Happiness au

by Cottagetea



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: AU, Active, Alternate Universe, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Cussing, Depression, Dream Smp, F/M, Family, Family Dynamics, Gen, Gremlin Child, Hurt/Comfort, It is amazing, Long hair techno, M/M, My First Fanfic, POV TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Philza is actually a decent dad in this, Please check out Some Kind Of Happieness by Claire Legrand, Ranboo and Tommy are friends, References to Depression, Sadinnit, Schlatt has anger issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Short Chapters, Some Kind Of Happieness, Some angst, This is an odd fanfic, Tommyinnits pov, big sad, long fanfiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:34:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 25,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28985685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cottagetea/pseuds/Cottagetea
Summary: Tommy's parents, (Philza and Mother Lady) are having relationship problems and so he's being sent to his grandparents house for the summer. His grandparents (Old Man Schlatt and Quackity) are nice at first glance but soon Tommy finds out that they're keeping secrets from him.Tommy will find out what the secret is while also making friends, bonding with his cousins, and soon also having to deal with his depression along the way.Buckle in everyone, cause this is a long one!
Relationships: Quackity and jshlatt are a thing I guess, TommyInnit & Ranboo, TommyInnit & Technoblade, Tommyinnit & Tubbo, Tommyinnit & Wilbur Soot
Comments: 6
Kudos: 58





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I read the book, Some Kind Of Happiness By Claire Legrand and I got the genius idea to make an ao3 account and rewrite the book but make it dream smp. Oh also warnings for anxiety and cussing. Sorry for any grammar mistakes. Quackity and Schlatt are like a couple but only because I couldn't think of anyone else to be the grandparents.  
> (If any of the people mentioned in this story are uncomfortable with this sort of thing please tell me!)

Tommy's Pov  
Chapter 1 Why This Summer Will Be The Most Terrible Summer Of My Life:  
1\. I will be spending the entire summer at Hart House with my old fucking grandparents

2.My cousins will be there too, off and on. That's what Mom and Dad tell me. " Oh, they pop in and out, Grandma Quackity says."

3\. I hate it when people "Pop in and out." Popping in and out is not very pog champ.

4\. Mom and Dadza are taking me to Hart House because they are "having problems" and "need some space to work it out." 

5\. This I assume, is another way of saying that they're planning on getting a divorce. (I hope I'm wrong.)

6\. I will be far away from my bedroom at home, which is the only place where I can truly be comfortable.

7\. There is a heaviness pressing down on me that makes it difficult to breathe.

It's true: I am finding it difficult to breathe. A heavy feeling inside my chest squeezes and pulls. I rest my head against the car window and watch the world outside race by. Pale green prairie grass and the wide blue sky. Old barns with peeling paint and lonely houses surrounded by cows instead of neighborhoods. I imagine I am running through the tall grass alongside the car-no I am on a horse: a white house with a tail like a banner. A horse from L'manburg.

Mom is obsessively switching radio stations. Mom has a hard time sitting still, her work as an interior designer is perfect for her; it keeps her busy. Dadza is talking about things that don't matter: " I wonder if this summer will be hotter than last summer." "What's a seven-letter word for sidesplitting?"  
"I'm not sure I can get behind the new tone of this radio station." They like to pretend I don't sense the stiffness between them, that I don't notice how much more they've been working lately, even more than usual.

They like to pretend I don't notice things. I think it makes them feel better, to lie to themselves and to me. Which is highly insulting. I may be a lot of things, but I am not stupid. For example, I recognize how strange it is that I have never met my grandparents. I do know Mom's parents, and her brother, though they live far away that I hardly ever see them and they might as well be strangers.

But when I ask about Philza's parents- Grandma Quackity and Grandpa Schlatt- Mom and Dadza fumble with their words, offering explanations that don't explain much: "Well, Grandma Quackity and Grandpa Schlatt are always so busy. It's a matter of scheduling." "We're always so busy, your Dad and I. You know that, Tommy." " I don't know Toms," Dadza often tells me. "Your grandparents and I...we've never been close." 

Through my observation of the world, I have come to the conclusion that it is not normal for a big man like me to be kept from his grandparents, his aunts and his cousins, as if it could hurt him. Testing myself, I inhale slowly. The heaviness inside me fades away. I can breathe again. I glance at the back of dad's head, at mom's eyes in the rearview mirror. She must be nervous; she has never met dad's family either.

She is staring hard at the road, sitting perfectly straight, not paying attention to me. So she and Dadza didn't notice a thing. Good. I am safe. For now. I flip past my pages of lists and to the portion of my notebook reserved for stories about L'manburg. I don't know what I will write today. Perhaps another war, or maybe a festival. 

My notebook- the latest in a series of 4- has loads of blank pages in it, waiting to be filled. And if I'm going to keep my grandparents from discovering my secret, I will need to write. A lot.

Dadza is driving now; Mom switched with him at the gas station at the edge of Billington, where Grandma Quackity and grandpa schlatt live. Dadza told her outside, " I want to be the one to drive up to their door. I don't know, it feels like it 'ought to be me." Hart House is huge and painted the color white, the largest house I have ever seen in real life. Hidden by a sea of green leaves.

Our car and this house and these trees feel like the only things left in the world. I want to leave, I try to say but my voice doesn't seem to be working. As we drive up to the house , we see Grandma Quackity standing on the front porch waving. Dadza said all my cousins call him Grandma Quackity instead of Grandpa Quackity is because he possesses a lot of grandma like traits such as knitting and loving cats.

Grandma Quackity steps off the front porch. "It'll be okay Phil," Mom says " You're doing the right thing." Does she think I can't hear her? What right thing? There's so many of them, my cousins. They all look completely different from each other. Grandma Quackity gives us a tour of the house: seven bedrooms, five bathrooms, two living rooms, a dining parlor, a kitchen, a sunroom, a rec room. A dark study with glass doors. This is Grandpa Schlatt's private space. No kids are allowed. 

I see my two aunts. They smile, and hug me. I see my cousins: two little kids much younger then me, and a boy my age, another one a little older, and a teenage boy. The teenager is inside his room lying on his bed, playing some game on his phone. He glances up as we pass his room his hair is long and pink tied up into a braid. He looks irritated that we disturbed him.

"And this is where you will be staying Tommy." Says Grandma Quackity opening a plain white door. "This is your father's old room. We don't really use it much." Mom silently critiques the paint colors and fabric choices. "It looks..different," Dadza says quietly "I redecorated a long time ago. I didn't think you'd mind. We didn't know if you'd ever come back again so I said fuck it and decided to redecorate."

Dadza says nothing. "Don't you think it looks amazing Tommy?" "Yeah it's pretty cool. Thanks Grandma Quackity." I try to force a smile on my face. Four of my cousins hover over the door. "Wilbur," Grandma Quackity says to the oldest one. "Where are you fucking manners? Why don't you say hello to your cousin, Tommy?" "Oh my bad, hi, Tommy." Wilbur wraps me in a hug. He has brown hair and a red beanie along with pale skin. He sorta looks like that one fellow from the Lorax. "I am so happy to finally meet you," He turns to look at the other kids "We all are."

I should probably say something. But I can't. This house is all so different from mine. The size. The people. Mom and dad will be gone soon. They are going to leave me. I can't help it: I start to cry. Dang it. "Ummm i'll go get you a Coca-Cola..." Grandma Quackity says "He's just overwhelmed, he's new to all of this." Dadza says. "Yes I suppose he would be." I hear my cousins: "Is he okay?" "Why is he crying?" "It's alright kids he just needs some space." Grandma Quackity and my cousins leave the room. Mom tells me, "Please stop crying Tommy." 

"You have to be brave Toms, the summer will be over before you know it." Mom and Dadza both hug me. "We'll call you everyday" "We love you." Mom and Dadza are leaving now. They cannot stay for dinner. On the porch. Dadza tells Grandma Quackity, "Tommy likes his space. He's a really talented boy, who likes writing stories, he's really talkative once you get to know him, just don't push him." Grandma Quackity replies with, "I'm pretty sure I know how to take care of kids at this point Philza." 

Dad hugs Grandpa Schlatt. Grandpa Schlatt tells him, "It was good to see you. You look..tall." "Yeah...you too." God they're so awkward. Grandma Quackity does not hug Dadza. Mom and Dadza drive away. I wipe my face with a tissue and begin to write in my notebook about L'manburg.


	2. The Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy has dinner with his family, it goes about as well as you'd expect (again trigger warnings for depression and anxiety. This is an au centered around the book Some Kind Of Happiness by Claire Legrand it's really good, I definitely recommend it.)

At home dinner is pretty chill. Mom eats at the kitchen table, Dadza sits at his desk in the corner of the living room to work on dumb literature stuff. And I sit on the couch with my tv tray and homework, usually I turn on the movie, Up, or, The Muppets.

Dinner at the Hart House is complicated to say the least. All eleven of us sit at the dining room table. Old fashioned music plays from a phonograph. My aunts bring in dishes and serve drinks. I have a list of the Harts in my notebook. For a couple of days I have studied their names. My aunts whisper to each other as they set out silverware.

"I can't belive they didn't stay for dinner," one of them says. Her face is soft and keeps looking at me terrified I might start crying again. Aunt nihachu, niki for short. "I'm not surprised," Says another one of my aunts. She has black lipstick and a grey hoodie. Aunt Minx. 

"Girls," grandpa says to my aunts "don't cause trouble. Minx, that means you." Aunt Minx frowns, sits, and takes a sip of her drink. The ice cubes clink against the glass. Grandpa Schlatt is the head of the table. When he catches me staring at him, he winks. Man, he sucks at winking. Everyone is looking at me now. I feel like slithering underneath the table and eating on the floor.

One of Aunt Minx's eight-year-old twins shrieks. Dream. "Drista!" Aunt minx snaps. "Stop shaking pepper on your brother." "But, mom, he's been poisoned! This is the only cure! He has to sneeze it out!" Drista's shouting makes me nervous. I wish my notebook wasn't all the way up in my room.

Aunt Niki has three kids: Wilbur 12 years old, Techno, sixteen years old (The guy I saw playing on his phone), and Tubbo. Mom said Tubbo was the same age as me, as if having another 11 year old in the house was supposed to make me feel better. And then there's me. Grandma Quackity, Grandpa Schlatt, Aunt Niki, Aunt Minx, Dream, and Drista, Techno, and Wilbur, and Tubbo. And me Tommy

Aunt Niki sets a plate in front of me and smooths out my messy blonde hair, it reminds me of mom. I decide to grab my fork and munch on my food. Maybe eating will make me feel better. Someone kicks me under the table. When I look up everyone is staring at me-except for grandma quackity who stands at the head of the table with his hands on his hips.

My lips are smeared with ranch dressing. What did I do wrong this time? Who the hell kicked me? I glance across the table. Tubbo shakes his head, his eyes are wide. Grandpa schlatt clears his throat. "Tommy , here at Hart House nobody eats until Quackity sits down." "He's the key," dream explains "You can't eat until he unlocks the meal." Drista is giggling hysterically. "Drista for gods sake calm yourself," says aunt minx.

"Also your using the wrong fork." This is techno, who looks like he's trying not to smile. "You're supposed to use the salad fork. Ya know..to eat your salad." I look down at my table setting to see six utensils " Well how the hell was I supposed to know that." I mumble "Hey watch your goddamn language! I'm just kidding. In fact I encourage cussing." Grandma Quackity says. Aunt Niki replaces my fork with a clean one. "No worrys. We should've told you something before hand." 

Techno smirks looking down at his lap. I see a soft glow on his shirt and realize that he's playing on his phone. Everyone starts eating and chatting. I've lost my appetite. I want to talk but I'm afraid that what I say is wrong. The wrongness of using the wrong fork. The wrongness of not knowing that grandma Quackity is the key. The wrongness of the knot in my stomach. 

I take a sip of my water. The print of my fringers leave a smudge. That is me. My grandparents, my aunts, my cousins, I am a smudge on their glass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Also I will try to post about one or two chapters every single day, If I don't post it's either because I'm busy or because im sleeping.


	3. The Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy goes in his grandparents backyard for some fresh air

I wake up in a cold sweat with a look af terror on my face. Once, at home I woke up like this and ran crying to my parents. I told them that I heard horrible thoughts screaming in my head. They brought me a glass of water and sat with me until I fell back asleep.

They said that nothing is wrong with me and that everyone has nightmares. I don't believe them. I've had nightmares before. This wasn't the same thing. Nowadays I never tell my parents when I wake up sweating, or the things my thoughts are saying, because big men don't go crying to there parents in the middle of the night.

All of my cousins and aunts decided to spend that night at Hart House. I decide to put some clothes on and go in the backyard to get some fresh air. I silently go outside and look around the backyard. It's pretty typical: A swing set with two swings, bushes overflowing with pink flowers, wind chimes tinkling on the patio.

I also notice a path of pebbles leading to a slope in the ground. I creep closer and see stone steps set into the dirt, leading down into a pit of leaves and grass. Beyond the pit is a small river. And beyond the river there are woods. The woods remind me of L'manburg. I sit down next to the river and start writing in my notebook

"What are you doing out here?" I whip around to see Tubbo standing a few feet away, staring at me. At least he's not Grandma Quackity. Or Techno, who watched me at dinner last night like I was a puzzle for him to decipher.

"Hello?" Tubbo waves his hand in front of my face "Earth to Tommy?"  
"Oh, Hey."  
"Hi. What are you doing out here?"  
"Um. Nothing?"  
"Is that a question?"  
"No. I was just lookin' around. I woke up early and didn't want to accidentally use the wrong fork at breakfast." I let out a small laugh  
"Don't worry about the whole fork thing, it's no biggie."  
We are both silent for a few moments until Tubbo speaks again. "So you're just out here looking at everything?"  
"Yeah, I guess, it's quite pretty out here."  
Tubbo plops down next to me. I sit beside him, prepared to run if I need to. After all, he did kick me underneath the table last night.

"I can't believe you came out here by yourself," Tubbo says  
"You never go in the backyard?"  
"Grandma quackity has never forbidden exactly, but he doesn't like us going were he can't see us. Mostly when we come over we clean his house."  
"That must suck."  
"It does, he's always like, 'If you clean my fucking house I'll get you ice cream' and 'People expect us to be perfect!'  
I giggle, he does a good Grandma Quackity impression.

"So what do you like about it?"  
"The woods?"  
"Yeah."  
"It's kinda complecated."  
"Tommy, we're Harts. We share blood. You can tell me." What does it even mean to be a Hart? Because it sure as hell has to be more then just blood. Otherwise I'd actually fit in here. Maybe I should make a list: What it means to be a Hart.

"I like it because it reminds me of...L'manburg." Tubbo raises an eyebrow "Is that like a country I've never heard of?"  
"Uh sorta. It's a real place. But you can only find it if it wants you to find it. I've been writing about it since I was 9."  
"And you think this place is it?"  
"Maybe, though it looks pretty different from how I imagined yet similar."

"What are the similarities?" Tubbo asks  
"Well that's the white house," I point twords Hart House.  
"Is there a president and vice president?"  
I think for a second. "No. L'manburg has never had a president or vice president. Only one who is truly worthy can be ruler of L'manburg, and no has ever been worthy enough."  
"What makes a person worthy?"  
"Only L'manburg knows that."  
Tubbo nods his head, "Does anyone live in the white house?". "Of course. Someone has to, until the president or vice president arrives. The two ancient guardians live there, alone.

"That's just sad."  
"Not really. It's kinda there job."  
"So how old are they?"  
"Oh very old! Think of the oldest thing ever, and thats them!" "Are they the only ones who live in L'manburg?"  
"Oh no, lots of people live there! Salmon people, piglins, zombies, creepers, soldiers-"  
"Can I be a soldier! I'll be a great soldier!"  
"Well I'm sorta already a soldier..."  
"We can be soldiers together!" 

Tubbo starts pouting. I Iet out a small laugh "Alright, alright, we can both be soldiers." Tubbo pumps his fists in the air  
"But be warned: As a soldier it is your duty to help serve and protect L'manburg from bad guys."  
"What bad guys?"  
"Zombies. Creepers...pirates."  
Tubbo scoffs "Oh please, I could take on a whole ship of pirates with my eyes closed."

"So should we go?"Tubbo asks  
"Go where?  
he points his hand twords the woods. "Exploring! I'm not sure how we'll cross this river though."  
I search until I spot a tree-sized shaped pipe that streches across the water. "We'll cross over the bridge."  
"Well...technically, we're not allowed to go near that pipe. Grandma Quackity doesn't think it's safe..."

I hesitate. Breaking Grandma Quackitys rule on my second day here doesn't sound like a good idea. "If we explore fast and get back before breakfast."  
Tubbo grins "And a soldier wouldn't care about breaking rules would he?"  
"Not if it was for a noble cause."  
Tubbo crosses the pipe I start to reconsider doing this, scared that Grandma Quackity will find out that I disobeyed his rules

"Hey soldier boy, you coming? Tubbo asks  
"Don't call me that!" I grin and run to catch up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I should explain this: ummm so like L'manburg isn't real, it's an imaginary place that tommy made up but he likes to pretend that it's real.


	4. The Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy and Tubbo sneak into the woods.

Nobody's POV  
The farther Tommy and Tubbo walked, the quieter the woods became. Tommy spots something out of the corner of his eye. A bicycle. He takes it. Not long after that, he spots another object off buried in the dirt. "A boot?" Tommy questioned  
"A very fine one." Tubbo added. Tommy put the boot in his backpack. Deeper into the woods, Tommy and Tubbo caught a glimpse of metal. "A pocket knife," Tommy said, lifting the weapon from the grassy forest floor. "It is a fine blade."

"Wait a moment. Look!" Tommy raises his head to see a gray field. A few trees stood there and no birds sang. In the middle of the field stood a crumbling house. "It's a wasteland." Tommy whispered. Tommy puts the pocket knife in his bag. 

No sooner had he done this, two figures tumble out of the house. "Who are they?" Tommy asks pointing at the two figures "There The Baileys! Now come on Tommy, lets book it!"  
"You would run from a fight? You're literally a soldier!" Tubbo runs off, away from the house and it's gray field., and Tommy has no choice but to follow.

Tommy's POV  
I sprint after Tubbo, dodging trees. I don't want to leave the house we found without seeing what is inside it, but these boys are definitely chasing us, and they are fast. "Wait, the who?" I shout  
"Come on, Tommy!"  
"But who are the Bailey's?"  
"They're these kids from next door," Tubbo shouts back to me "Well, across the river I mean!"  
The Baileys. In L'manburg they would not be neighbors across the river; they would be pirates.

Behind us the Bailey boys holler at us:  
"Tresspasers!"  
"You'd better run faster!"  
I look back and see one of the boys grinning at me. He darts through the trees and disappears. But I still hear him laughing.  
Back at the river. Tubbo and I scoot across the pipe bridge as fast as we can. Once we get to the other side, there is no sign of the Bailey boys.

"Where'd those sons of bitches go?" I ask, panting  
Tubbo points across the river, and I see it now: A house, hidden in a mess of trees. "Are you friends with them?"  
"Are you kidding? No way."  
The Bailey boys climb up the hill to their house. It's so steep on that side that they have to pull themselves up tree roots, like climbing the rungs of a ladder

One of them, the one who smiled at me, turns around at the top of the hill. He makes a rude gesture with his hand. I do the same. Tubbo flings sticks across the river. "Stay out of our woods!"  
"I don't think they're our woods," I point out "Right? I don't think where we were was grandma Quackity and grandpa Schlatts land."  
"Whatever. God," Tubbo's face is red and splotchy yet still somehow appealing. How the hell does he do that?

What It Means To Be A Hart  
1\. You look good even after sprinting across a forest.

"Are you...mad?" I ask  
"Yes, I'm mad! The Bailey Boys are such rubbish. I can't belive they chased us!"  
"Same, though I will admit we were messing around by their...whatever. That house."  
"Nah, that house has been abandoned forever. We're definitely not allowed to go there. I didn't think you'd be such a rebel."  
"Yeah I guess you could say I'm badass."  
Once I have time to write, I definitely am going to write about all of this. "How come your not allowed to go there?"  
"To that house? I don't know, because it's condemned or whatever."

Tubbo kicks dirt twords the Bailey house. "Just look at that place, it's a disaster! Grandma Quackity calls them a blight on the town. Sometimes when I sleep over, I hear them blasting music in the middle of the night." I wonder if Grandma Quackity has told Tubbo bad things about me and Fridge Mom and Dadza, like he has about the Baileys. The Bailey Boys disappear inside their house.

"Have you ever talked to them?"  
Tubbo stares at me "No. Why would I?"  
I'm not sure how to answer that.  
"You don't get it, Tommy. These aren't normal boys. It's like they're..I don't know."  
"They're pirates." I tell him  
"Ha! If those are the pirates I have to fight, I can totally handle it." Tubbo finds yet another stick to throw "You hear me? I can take you!" Tubbo shouts  
I take out our finds to examine them: A shoe. Childs size 11. For the left foot. Black with mud and mildew. The fabric is a faded pink.  
A pocketknife that flips open when you press the side. The hilt is marked with initials, but they are so faded I cannot read them. Then there is the bicycle, buried back in the woods, where Tubbo and I were exploring.

"Tommy, we should tell the others about our finds."  
"Your right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


	5. The Phone Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Philza calls Tommy to check on him. (I know it's a pretty lame summary)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kinda filler. It's not really important, but I decided to add it in anyway.

I am expecting a phone call from home. Mom doesn't call much-she has some weird phone phobia, but I talk to Dadza almost every night at eight. It is now 8:05. I pace up and down the hallway and then walk circles through the rec room. I walk back into my bedroom, staring at my phone. 8:10. 8:12. The phone rings, and the screen lights up, displaying Dadza's picture. He is dressed up for Halloween, even though Mom says he's to old for that. His costumes are always literature characters. Last year he was this one lady from some book I've never heard of. I answer the phone.

"Ayyyyy old man Dadza!"  
"Don't call me you little shit," Dadza chuckles. "How's my boy?"  
"Dad I'm not a boy, I am a big man, and I'm doing pretty good. Grandma Quackity is listening to Pitbull, one sec."  
I creep over to the landing and peek downstairs, holding out my phone. The air is full of music. I see Grandma Quackity and Grandpa Schlatt slowdancing to the music. "Who the hell slowdances to Pitbull?" I whisper  
I go back to my room. At the end of the hallway the door to Techno's room stands open. Everyone else went home days ago, but he's still here, and I can't figure out why. I assume it's because he loves our grandparents, but I haven't heard him say so. Their he is playing some video game on his phone.

He glances up, and I freeze. His eyes cut into my skin, like my secret is this thing inside of me. I duck back into my bedroom. "Got to love Pitbull." Dadza says. "Your Grandma's got good taste."  
"Does he though? Also you never listen to Pitbull."  
"I used to. You go through phases, you know?"  
"Yeah I guess. So how are you doing?"  
"Excellent! The first section of summer school. Everyday is packed full. Lots of grading. But the kids this time around are great."  
As Dadza talks I stare at my 2 discs. Back at home I had a jukebox that would play them, but sadly, I couldn't take it with me cause it was too big. But I still brought the discs with me anyways. "How's Mom doing?"  
"Oh, she's engrossed in the Robertson renovation. You remember, that house on the lake? She's got swatches spread out all over the kitchen table. She's in heaven."

"Dadza?"  
"Yes, Tommy?"  
"Mom's really busy, huh?"  
Dadza sighs "We both are. Sometimes I think...."  
My heart pounds into silence "What?"  
"Ah, nothing. You know me. I ramble."  
"Hows...how's everything going? You know, with the stuff you and Mom are figuring out?"  
Dadza is quiet for a few seconds. "Well Toms. We've been talking about a lot of things."  
"Like what?"  
"About me, and about your mom, and about our life together. Whether...we're as happy as we should be." He pauses "It's pretty boring! You're not missing out on a lot! We miss you like crazy."  
"I miss you too. Ugh we had pot roast and asparagus for dinner." I've never been big on vegetables. Neither has Dadza. "Asparagus? Hmm...Spindly green things right?" I start laughing. "When you get home, I'm going to make you such a welcome home dinner, it'll put your Grandma's cooking to shame."  
"Im looking forward to it!"  
I miss Dadza and Mom. I'm angry they left me here though. I can't wait to come home.

"Dad? I have a question."  
"Yeah? Shoot."  
"You know the Bailey family?" They live across the river from Grandma Quackity and Grandpa Schlatt."  
"Sure, the Baileys. They're still there, huh? What about them?"  
"Yeah. Tubbo and I were outside, and they just started chasing us and stuff."  
"Tommy?"  
"Yeah?"  
"I don't want you talking with the Bailey's either. And I mean it."  
"How come?"  
"Because...Tommy, when we were teenagers, the Baileys-their dad I mean-he wasn't a good kid. He did...bad things. He's not safe to be around, wouldn't trust them for anything. And your grandparents don't like talking about this, so I wouldn't bring it up, okay?"

"Um yeah, understood."  
"Good. I'm going to let you go now, alright? You should go downstairs and spend time with your grandparents. Or with Techno." "No way in hell am I going to talk to Techno."  
  
"I know you may think that he's intimidating, but I'm sure he's not so bad once you get to know him."  
"You don't know him! You don't know any of them! And neither do I! They're like strangers, and you left me here with them like it was no big deal!" I want to take it back.  
Dadza responds, "Tommy, it was a big deal. Don't think it wasn't. It was hard for us to leave you, okay?"  
"Then why did you?"  
"We've talked about this. Because you mom and I-"  
"Need space to work things out. I know."  
"Tommy...."  
"What?"  
He sighs. "You know, I talk to your Grandpa a lot, actually. On the phone." I don't respond

"He's been asking me to come by for years, to bring you to visit. When I told him about-when I mentioned that your mom and I needed some time together, he was the one who suggested I bring you down for the summer."  
"How come you never let me talk to him?"  
Techno walks by on his way to the bathroom. He's still playing the same video game on his phone. But he glances over anyway. I run over and shut the door

"I don't have a good answer for you Tommy."  
Dad says "I should have let you talk to him. I should have done a lot of things. I've been selfish and stubborn. But I'm trying now, okay? I don't want you growing up and leaving for college and heading into the real world without knowing your cousins."  
"Dadzaaaaa, college is like a million years away."  
"Time's a slippery little jerk Toms."  
"You're so dramatic sometimes."  
"Im being serious Tommy. Your Mom is going to try and call you tomorrow."  
"Okay, cool."  
"Goodnight Toms." I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"  
"Okay."  
"Go talk to your Grandma. Ask him what his favorite Pitbull song is. He'll talk your ear off."  
"Alright, goodnight."  
Dadza hangs up.

I crawl into bed and read one of my old stories about L'manburg, one I wrote before coming to Hart House. But it seems wrong, now that I've seen the real L'manburg. It seems like I didn't know what I was doing, like I was just a silly kid playing make-belive.  
Before long these thoughts are so loud they start to feel true:  
I am just a silly kid playing make-belive.  
I don't know what I'm doing.  
I am all wrong.

When Grandma Quackity comes up to say it's time for bed, I pretend I am already asleep. I lay there with my eye's closed while he turns off the light.


	6. The Cleaning day

On my second Friday at Hart House, everyone returns for the weekend. Grandma Quackity immediately puts us to work cleaning. "How else will you learn to respect what you have?" Grandma Quackity points out when Dream and Drista start whining.

"Or we could let everything sit and rot and turn into some overgrown pigsty,"  
"Hey for your information pigs are very cool." Techno chimes in.  
Grandma catches my looking. Our eyes lock.  
"What do we have to do this time?" Drista whines.  
"Drista, you and Wilbur have the downstairs bathrooms. Tubbo and Dream will take the upstairs bathrooms. Techno's dusting. And Tommy?"  
"Yes?"  
"You'll help me in the kitchen."  
As I reluctantly follow Grandma Quackity down the hall, Tubbo grabs my arm and whispers, "I told everyone we'd meet tonight. Outside in the pit, after the adults have gone to sleep."  
"Even Techno?"  
"Are you kidding? He'd tell on us, and he wouldn't want to come anyways. Be there, okay?"  
"You got it Big T."  
"Tommy?" Grandma Quackity calls out. "Come on we have a lot of work to do!"

In the kitchen Grandma Quackity is taking pots, and pans out of the cabinets. Niki just got back from jogging to make a smoothie. When she sees me, she attacks me with a hug.  
"Here, Tommy." Grandma Quackity hands me an old cloth. "Start wiping down those bottom cabinets, please. I'd like to get this done quickly so I can be at the clinic by one o'clock."  
"Clinic?"  
"Just something I do when I have the time."

"Grandma Quackity here is being modest." Niki loops an arm through Grandma Quackity's. "He volunteers at the clinic, works the front desk. Whenever they need him, he drops everything and goes. And he organizes this back-to-school program, where they stuff backpacks full of school supplies for kids who need them. Your Grandma, Toms," Niki beams at me. "He's the best, in case you didn't know."  
"Yeah, I didn't know that."  
Grandma Quackity scoffs

"Now get to cleaning you two!"  
Niki flips through the radio. "Tubbo has been talking nonstop about you all week, Tommy," Niki tells me while she sweeps. "He couldn't wait to come back-and for once it had nothing to do with grandma's cooking." Niki says. "It's been so long since I've seen Tubbo get excited about going outside..." There's a long pause until Niki speaks again  
"You're honestly my coolest nephew by far."  
"I suspected as much."  
Niki giggles "Love the confidence!"

"You were playing outside?" Grandma Quackity has stopped scrubbing to look up at me.  
"Um. Yeah? Is it a crime to play outside? I mean we were just messing around."  
"Doing what, exactly? And where?"  
"We talked about women and hung out in the pit."  
"I don't want you boys hanging around back there,"  
"Not even the pit?"  
"Fine. But not beyond that, Tommy. It isn't safe."  
"What do you mean? It's just the woods."  
"Tommy when I give you instructions, I expect them to be obeyed. Is that clear?"  
Techno comes down the back stairs into the kitchen, one earbud in, his arms full of sketch pads. He wears what I have come to know as his painter's uniform- a black oversized t-shirt and pink shorts.

"Grandpa Shlatt told me to tell you that he's leaving."  
"Thank you, Techno. Tommy I asked you a question: Is that clear?"  
"Ah geez, yes I understand."  
"Good! I'll be back shortly."  
Without another word Techno slips into the garage. Niki resumes sweeping. "Your grandfather and his drives," Niki rolls her eyes. "He's always liked long drives. It's his way of mediating. But don't ever tell him I said that. He'd disown me if he knew."  
"You mean like how they disowned my dad?"  
The kitchen goes silent.  
"Tommy...Tommy, listen to me. I'm sorry I said that. I never wanted Phil to stay away. None of us wanted that."  
"Grandma Quackity did." Niki doesn't correct me.  
I polish the cabinets until every inch of them shines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, it's finally Friday! Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to post two chapters.


	7. The Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy and Tubbo and their cousins sneak out in the middle of the night to have a meeting.

That Night, after the adults have gone to sleep, we all sneak out of the house and down into the pit. Four pairs of eyes lock on me: Wilbur, he still has his red beanie on. Dream and Drista, wide-eyed, sitting on either side of Wilbur. And Tubbo who looks as cheerful and energetic as ever. I clear my throat. "What we're here to discuss tonight is L'manburg, and the artifacts me and Tubbo found, and the pirates."  
"And their secret house." Tubbo adds.  
Wilbur looks skeptical. "What Pirates?"  
"The Bailey boys. It's part of the game."  
I bite my tongue at Tubbo's continued use of the word game. Wilbur is 12 years old. He must be thinking about how ridiculous this all is.

"A long time ago, I started writing about L'manburg. It's in our world, but you can only find it if it wants you to find it."  
Me and Tubbo tell them about the Bailey Boys, and how they chased us away from the old house back in the woods. Then I take out the shoe and knife from my backpack. Wilbur frowns.  
"Holy shit, you didn't touch the blade or anything, did you? Were you careful?"

"Of course we didn't touch it," says Tubbo "What kind of soldier do you take me for?"  
"I'm sorry, a what?"  
"Me and Tommy are soldiers. Everyone needs a part to play."  
"But it's not a game, or a play." I tell everyone.  
Wilbur is quiet for a second. "Okay cool. What are our choices?"  
Wilbur smiles at me. I smile back.  
"I want to be a witch!" Drista cackles.  
"But witches are evil. Do you want to be evil?"  
Drista thinks about it.  
"Well you can't be. We already have the pirates to deal with. Don't you want to be a hero, like me and Tubbo?"  
All of a sudden we hear the sounds of a door slamming and a crash come from the direction of the Bailey house. Everyone falls silent.

"We should go inside," Wilbur says, standing up. "We're not supposed to be out here. I shouldn't have let this happen."  
"Oh don't go all Grandma on us," Tubbo hisses. "It's no big deal."  
"Come on" I whisper "We have to see what's going on." We crawl up to the far side of the pit and peek over the top. From here we can see the Bailey house clearly-and the boy sitting on the opposite side of the river. He's swinging his legs through the air.  
"Something's going on over there," Tubbo whispers "I just know it. What was that crash?"

Wilbur responds "It sounded like glass breaking."  
"Why is he outside by himself?" Dream asks  
"I don't know," I say "but something is going on over there. My dad said something happened when he was a kid. Or he kind of hinted at it, anyway. He said the Baileys aren't good people. That their dad did bad things. But we can't talk about it with Grandma Quackity and Grandpa Schlatt, okay?

"What bad things?" Wilbur asks.  
"I don't know. But I want to find out what."  
"Why do you care about whatever the Baileys did?" Wilbur crosses his arms. "You don't even know them. None of us do. I mean, we've seen them at school, but we don't talk to them. So what's the big deal?"  
Tubbo responds. "Look, the important thing is that there's this really old creepy beat-up house in the back of the woods, and you can't find a really old creepy beat-up house in the back of the woods and not investigate it. I mean come on, Wilbur."  
I chime in. "As a soldier, I advise you all to join me and Tubbo, soldiers of L'manburg, in our quest: to explore L'manburg and discover its secrets."

"Especially the beat-up house." Tubbo adds.  
"Right. Especially the house."  
Wilbur sighs "Which is probably condemned."  
"Wilbur," Tubbo whines, "Don't be a butt."  
"Wilburs a butt," Drista sings "Wilburs a butt."  
"Great," Wilbur mutters  
"We won't do anything to dangerous," Tubbo says. "I promise Wilbur."  
Wilbur sighs. "Otherwise everyone'll hate me, I guess?  
"Yep," Tubbo says."Forever and ever."  
"Ugh." Wilbur crosses his arms.

"It sucks to be a goody-two-shoes doesn't it?" I say patting Wilbur on the shoulder.  
"I'm not a goody-two-shoes."  
"Are too," Tubbo chimes in.  
"Fine. I'll do it."  
Tubbo picks up a long stick and glances at me.  
"Wilbur you will be a general. If we should ever enter into battle, and act as speaker of L'manburg when we forge alliances with foreign parties. Do you accept this title?  
"I do." He kneels and Tubbo taps his shoulders with the stick. The twins watch in awe. My opinion on Wilbur skyrockets.

"And you, Dream and Drista," I say turning to the twins. "You will be squires to Soldier Tubbo until such time as either age or experience proves you worthy of soldier-blood."  
Drista makes a face. "What's a squire?"  
"It means you have to do whatever I tell you to do." Tubbo explains.  
"Sounds dumb." Drista replies  
"Not as dumb as not getting to play at all."  
"You'll still get swords and horses." I say "So do you expect?"  
Dream and Drista glare at each Other, then kneel down in the dirt to be initiated.  
"Now what?" Wilbur asks  
"We must take a solemn oath." Tubbo takes an oversized shoe box he brought from home out of his bag. "Did you bring your dues?" Everyone hands over their personal items: Sheets of song lyrics from Wilbur, A mask with a smiley face on it from Dream, A....fork from Drista, a plush bee from Tubbo, and my two discs.

"Repeat after me," I say "Upon the valuables in this box, I swear to never reveal the secrets of the L'manburg quest to anyone not present tonight. And if I break this promise, I give up all rights to my valuables." Everyone repeats the oath and crosses their hearts. I follow my cousins inside and upstairs. I lean against the wall with Dream and Drista beside me. It is my responsibility to make sure they stay quiet while Tubbo hides our stash under Techno's bed. It seems like the safest place. Who would want to sneak into Techno's room to steal their stuff back, and risk awakening what is sure to be a mighty teenage wrath?

Wilbur, standing watch at the end of the hallway, whispers, "Hurry up Tubbo!"  
"Quiet Wilbur!"  
As soon as Tubbo slips inside Techno's bedroom, Dream giggles.  
"Do you hear that?" I whisper  
"Hear what? I don't hear anything." Asks Drista  
"L'manburg is speaking to us." "Really?" Drista replies  
"What's it saying?" Dream walks closer to me  
"It's saying it was impressed by the bravery of the two squires who dared go out so late at night. It senses you have courageous hearts, and that one day you will both become great soldiers."  
Then a light switches on in Techno's room. "Tubbo? What are you doing?"  
Tubbo bolts out of Techno's room, and we tear down the hallway , sliding on the wooden floors in our socks, trying not to laugh.  
Techno stands in the door way. His hair is a mess. It makes him less intimidating some how.  
"Freaks." He mumbles then shuts his door.

The next morning at breakfast, Techno ignores us, like usual. If he knows that Tubbo put our stash under his bed, he doesn't say anything.  
We pass giggles around the table.  
Niki puts down her toast, smiling at us. "Okay what's the story? What happened? What did we miss?"  
But no one says anything. We are bound to secrecy now. The five of us.  
Grandpa Jshlatt looks from his newspaper, his mouth is twitching. "If you let me in on the secret, I'll take you to the swimming pool this afternoon."  
"Really?" Dream questions  
"We'll think about it." Drista says primly.  
Grandpa Schlatt returns to his newspaper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I wasn't able to post two chapters today!


	8. The Steal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bailey Boys steal Tommy and his cousin's valuables.

Building a tree house is more difficult than I had anticipated, but it had to be done. No quest is complete without a base.  
Grandpa Schlatt is the first to speak  
"Well, now that is something."  
The tree house is a platform three feet off the ground, it has a slanted roof and walls on both sides, and a rope ladder.  
"It's ugly." I annouce "I thought it it would be, you know, up high. It is supposed to be a watchtower after all."  
"Oh come on Tommy," Tubbo says "At least this way if you fall you won't break your neck."  
"But it's not high enough to see anything!"  
"I'll tear it down then." Grandpa Shclatt approaches the tree house, with his crowbar in hand. "If you're not going to appreciate that is."  
Everyone gasps including myself

"That's what I thought." Grandpa Shclatt lowers his crowbar.  
"Now remember the ground rules: Not one fucking inch outside the pit, like Quackity said."  
"Yes sir." We all say in sync  
"And you won't let the twins climb around here by themselves?"  
"No, sir."  
Grandpa Shlatt nods. "Well then. Go nuts. But not too nuts. And take your shoes off before dinner."  
Tubbo asks, "What if we didn't?"  
"Perhaps it'll be the end of the world." I respond  
Once Grandpa Shclatt takes his tools and goes back inside, I climb into the tree house (AKA: The Tower) and hang the boot me and Tubbo found by its laces. It looks like a weird chandelier.

Everyone else is going home after dinner, except Tubbo who convinced Niki to let him stay for the rest of the week. Me and Tubbo have been growing close lately. He's by my side practically 24/7. And he says I'm the clingy one.  
"I'm going for a walk."  
"Oh, me too!"  
"Tubbo, you really don-"  
Tubbo tenses up. I see him too.  
It's one of the Bailey Boys. He is holding our stash of valuables. Tubbo's Bee. Wilbur's song lyrics. My discs. It was Tubbo's idea to bring our stuff out here.  
"Oy, Bitch Boy! Give us our stuff back!" I say  
The boy grins at me then takes off running in the opposite direction.  
"We can't let him get away with this!"  
"Oh, don't worry, he won't." I reply "be back in a sec!" I yell over my shoulder. Wilbur turns around "Wait, what-"  
But me and Tubbo ignore him. We scoot across The First Bridge.  
We run through the woods trying to catch up to the Bailey Boy.  
We soon arrive to the creepy house with the gray field.

I walk twords the house.  
"Look at all this rubbish!" Tubbo points twords all the broken bottles and old toys. "Disgusting!"  
"Oh, wow! Would you look at these awesome song lyrics!" A voice calls out from the second floor of the house.  
A hand dangles Wilburs song lyrics out a window. A boys head pops out grinning down at us. "I think I'll keep them! What do you think Ranboo?"  
"I think you should keep that, and I'll keep this!"  
Ranboo waves Tubbo's plush Bee around  
"Stop! That's mine! Tubbo shouts  
"Nah, it's my now, sorry!" Ranboo shouts back  
The two boys disappear back inside.  
I follow a trail of garbage behind the house. The backyard is a mess: overgrown trees, grass that comes up to my waist, and a old rusty pickup truck. I spot something out of the corner of my eye.  
"Tommy?"  
"Hold on a second."  
I dig through grass and bushes to and see a gravestone.  
There is three of rhem.  
"Holy shit." I say in surprise  
"Are those gravestones?" Tubbo asks  
"No, their giant rocks. Yeah of course their gravestones! What else would they be?"  
"Geez! Sorry I guess."

There is moss covering the gravestones.  
A paper slides underneath the backdoor of the house. Me and Tubbo read it aloud. "If you want your stuff, you'll have to steal it back, losers."  
I crumble up the paper. "We're not stealing anything. Me and Tommy need to talk to you it's important." Tubbo says  
The door swings open. Two boys stand there.  
"State your business."  
"Hello, I'm Tubbo and this is Tommy!"  
"I'm Ranboo! And that's George!" Ranboo points twords the oldest of the two. He has white sunglasses on and a blue t-shirt.

"You're trespassing." George says  
"And you stole our stuff, asshole."  
He shrugs "doesn't give you the right to trespass."  
"We want it back." Tubbo chimes in  
"What if we don't give it back?"  
"Then we'll call the cops!" Tubbo snaps  
Ranboo's eyes go wide "George!"  
"No one's calling the cops," George says "How about we all just take a nap, and settle this tomorrow?"  
"No you dickhead! We want our stuff. Now."  
"Also it's only 4 in the afternoon!" Tubbo adds  
"....fuck you." George mutters  
"Did you know there are gravestones under that tree in the back?" I ask  
" Yeah," says George "Why do you care?"  
"Whose are they?"  
"Beats me."  
"Can we clean them off?" Tubbo asks  
"Why do you guys care so much about them?" George asks  
"I don't know, we just really want to see who they belong to I guess." I say shrugging my shoulders  
Ranboo pulls out my discs  
"Are these yours?" He asks me  
"It sure is, bitch."  
Ranboo leaves for second then comes back with our box.  
"Ranboo!" George hisses "What the hell are you doing?"  
"You can have this back," says Ranboo " But only if you clean the gravestones."  
"We can't do it today. We must be getting home."  
"Then when you come back to clean, you can have your stuff."  
"We'll be back as soon as we can."  
"Cool. Sorry about all of this. I was bored, I wasn't trying to be mean."  
"It's fine, I suppose. Still think your a wrongen though."  
"I don't know what that means but I just want to let you know that I'll keep you discs safe!"  
"Oh. Ummm, thanks." I give Ranboo a little smile.  
Me and Tubbo run home hoping that we won't be late for dinner.


	9. The Drive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy goes on a car ride with Old man Schlatt.

It is Friday, and I am feeling calm. My cousins are staying for the weekend, which I am very pleased by. (I'm not clingy.) Today we're making paper-bag monster masks in the dining room. When I lose myself, my insides become a storming sea in which it is very easy to get lost. Even something as easy as breathing the right way can be difficult. But today, the sea is tame. I wish everyday was like this. Grandma Quackity brings us a plate of sugar cookies. He has been baking cookies all morning for the clinic volunteers, and we were lucky enough to get the last batch. "I'm gonna take a nap. I had a meeting at the library last night, I've been baking all day. I am completely worn out. Wilbur are you alright with the twins?"  
"Yep!" Wilbur says cheerfully

A few minutes later Grandpa Schlatt comes in. He stands behind Drista and examines her mask.  
"The fuck is that? A bear?"  
Drista holds up her mask. "No. It's a smiley face."  
"Huh weird."  
"I'm going for a drive." Grandpa Schlatt tells Wilbur.  
"Can I come?" I ask  
"With me? Your boring ass Grandpa?"  
"I'm done with my mask."  
"Monster? Bear?"  
I hold up my mask "Racoon."  
"Good choice. Come along, then."  
Grandpa Schlatts car smells like a Christmas tree.  
It has a bunch of soda cans on the floor.  
Grandpa Schlatt turns on the car radio and a familiar song plays.  
"Pitbull!" I point out

"Hm yeah, you a fan?"  
"Eh he's okay."  
"He's one of Quackitys favorite singers. And your fathers. But that was a long time ago. Not sure what he listens to now."  
"He likes classical."  
"Oh? What kind of classical music?"  
"Beats me. I don't listen to classical."  
"What kind of music do you like to listen to then?"  
"Mostly video game music."  
"What's your favorite video game?"  
"I really like Animal Crossing, Terraria is pretty cool aswell."  
"Your cousin, Techno, seems to like video games as well. He likes this one game called, Minecraft. It looks like a pretty fun game."

"I've never heard of that game before." "Well maybe you should ask him about it sometime."  
"Maybe I will. So, why do you go on drives every day?"  
"It relaxes me. It's nice getting out of the house every now and then."  
"Where do you go?"  
"Anywhere with trees."  
"You like trees?"  
"Yeah! Why else whould I have bought Hart House?"  
"Because of L'manburg."  
"I forgot you kids call it that."  
"Yeah. I like naming things."  
"You're just like your father yet very different at the same time."  
"How so?"  
"You have his dirty blonde hair, his enthusiasm, his boldness. Yet you like video games and are very playful. Phil was always so serious."  
"Do you love him?"  
"Huh?"  
"Dadza."

"I do, very much."  
"Then wh-"  
"Why are you just now meeting us? Why does your dad stay away?"  
"Yeah.."  
"I'm going to tell you something Tommy."  
"Okay."  
"Your Dad and Quackity once had a disagreement. And they could never settle it. They got madder and madder until your Dad just up and left."  
"Were you mad at him too?"  
"A little."

"Does, Grandma Quackity hate Dadza?"  
"He doesn't hate your dad. He loves him and he loves you.  
"Then why don't they fuckin' say sorry to each other and get over it?"  
"Well Tommy, sometimes things are to big for 'sorry' " "Oh." ... "Anyways how about we get some KFC for dinner?" "Really? Won't Grandma Quackity be upset?" "Nah. Quackity may like cooking but even he knows that it wouldn't hurt to get take-out once in a while."  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing like a short chapter to end the day.


	10. The Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ranboo and George come over to apologize and make a deal with Tommy and his cousins.

That night after dinner me and ny cousins are sitting in the tower joking around until the Bailey boys show up.  
Dream spots them first.  
"Pirates!"  
I put my hand over his mouth. No way in hell can the adults know that the Baileys are out here.  
Me and Tubbo jump off the tower.  
"We said that we'd come back when we could dickheads. What do you guys want?"  
Ranboo kneels down before me and Tubbo.  
"Noble soldiers, we are here to beg for your forgiveness. We'd think it would be better if we were friends."  
Me and Tubbo burst out laughing.  
Tubbo apologises "Sorry it's just that you sound so serious is all."  
"It's okay."  
"Also how did you know that me and Tubbo are soldiers?" I ask  
"You guys are loud." George responds  
"Oh! Also we brought cookies!" Ranboo takes a red tin of chocolate chip cookies out of his backpack.  
Tubbo perks up "Cookies?!" Tubbo snatches the tin of cookies out of Ranboo's hands.

"You're not supposed to be over here," I say "This wasn't part of our deal."  
Wilbur pulls me and Tubbo aside. "What deal? This isn't cool Tommy."  
"Relax, we're not messing with you, we promise." George trys to assure Wilbur.  
"Can someone please just tell me what the hell is going on?"  
Me and Tubbo tell him about the scary house and it's graves and how we made a deal with the Bailey's to get our stuff back.  
"Uh-huh okay so you're telling me you went into the woods all by yourself and made a deal with the Baileys?"  
There is a long stretch of silence until I finally reply.  
"Yes."

"Look Tommy-"  
"L'manburg was calling me Wil."  
"Look, Tommy, listen. I know you have a big imagination and that's cool. And I know we're supposed to let you do your thing and be really nice to you, but-"  
"Who told you to be nice to me?"  
"Grandma Quackity just told me...Don't be mad, okay? He said that you're kind of sensitive and the stuff with your parents."  
"I don't need your fucking pity!"  
Wilbur sighs "It's not pity Tommy."  
"Whatever." I mumble  
"If it makes you feel any better, we have some proof that you can trust us." Ranboo says.  
Ranboo opens his backpack. He pulls out a cloth banner decorated with leaves and huge letters that say WELCOME TO L'MANBURG.  
Everyone gasps.  
"Who made this?" Wilbur asks  
"I did! It took me two whole nights." Ranboo says  
"It's beautiful!" Tubbo says, staring at the banner .  
"And one more thing!" Ranboo pulls out a tiny mail box that also has leaves painted on it.  
"We can use this to send messages and organise when to meet up and stuff." George explains.

"So soldiers, do we have a deal?" Ranboo reaches his hand out.  
I don't respond.  
"Do you always do what your grandparents tell you to do?" George asks.  
"No I'm badass! What about your parents? Do they care if you talk to us."  
"Alas, we have no parents! We are under the custody of a zombie!" Ranboo says dramatically  
"Hm interesting."

"Yeah, but luckily we can do whatever we want as long as we don't wake him up. So do we have a deal?"  
Me and my cousins huddle into a circle.  
Tubbo is still munching on the cookies he had snatched from Ranboo.  
"I don't know, Tommy, how can we be sure that they're trustworthy?" Wilbur asks  
Tubbo answers for me, "Because they gave us cookies, duh!"  
"Just because someone brings you cookies, doesn't make them trustworthy!" Wilbur says  
"Yes, it does!"  
"Look fellas, I think we should give them a chance. And if they backstab us then we'll murder them."  
"Tommy, what the fuck!"  
"I don't know! It was just a suggestion!"  
"Fine I guess we'll make a deal with them."  
Wilbur turns around to face the Bailey boys.  
"We have a deal." He shakes Ranboo's hand. And just like that, a friendship was born.


	11. The House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy, Tubbo, and Wilbur go to the creepy house to clean it up a bit.

It is Saturday after dinner, and Techno has retreated to his bedroom like usual. His door swings open before I can even knock.  
"I thought I heard ya fidgeting out here," Techno says, half smiling.  
"What do you want?"  
I glance past him and see a sketch book on his bed along with a paint pallet smeared with all kinds of colors.  
"Painting?" I ask  
"Nah. Cooking." He says with a deadpan tone  
"Oh sorry, that was a stupid question to ask wasn't it?"  
"It's okay, seriously kid, you need to chill. Anyways what's up?"  
"Well, we're all going outside to play for awhile."  
"What else is new?" Techno asks  
"And Grandma Quackity and Grandpa Schlatt are downstairs, and the other adults are too..."  
"Okay, go on."  
"So if they ask you where we are, can you say we're just playing outside? Don't let them come looking for us."  
Techno raises an eyebrow "You want me to lie for you?"  
"I mean it's not necessarily lying," I respond quickly "We just don't want them to worry is all. Not like there's any reason for them to worry. We'll be safe, I promise Techno."  
"Fine. Just don't die, okay?"  
"Yes, yes, thanks Techno, bye!"  
I run down the stairs before he can change his mind.

The five of us- Me, Tubbo, Wilbur, Ranboo, and George- meet by the mailbox and walk through the woods. Wilbur carries a bucket full of cleaning supplies, and Tubbo has a box of garbage bags. I hope Grandma Quackity doesn't notice that their missing. This was all me and Tubbo's idea but mostly mine. If we get caught then it will mostly be all my fault.  
We made Dream and Drista stay behind this time. We must make sure the area is safe. Dream would only agree to keep quiet once I snuck him an extra scoop of ice cream.  
We soon arrive at the creepy house.  
"You know what? I think we should give the house a name. Any suggestions?" I say  
"Hm, how about the grave house? Ya know, because of the graves." Wilbur suggests  
"Not very creative, but fitting. It's official, it's name is now the grave house."  
Ranboo go's through the back door of the grave house and we all follow him soon after.  
Inside the kitchen, there is a folding table, empty root bear cans, decks of cards, and a copy of The Adventures Tom Sawyer.  
"Summer reading." George explains.  
The sink is full of trash, rotting cabinets, missing pieces of the wall and ceiling are missing.  
Wilbur takes out a garage bag and starts picking up trash.

"Weird, huh? Everything looks normal yet very weird at the same time." Ranboo says  
"Yeah. This place gives me kinda off vibes for some reason."  
"I know what you mean."  
"Wonder how long it's been abandoned. Is the whole house like this?" I ask while staring up at the ruined ceiling.  
"Yep! I'll show you." Ranboo grabs my wrist and leads me into the living room.

What used to be a living room now has no roof, the brick chimney is still mostly intact. There is a flower patterned love seat with ash and dust all over it. A book shelf with a few charred books on it. There is heaps of trash all over the place.  
"Upstairs is worse." Ranboo says  
Me and Ranboo carefully walk up the stairs or at least whats remaining of them. It's dark up here, luckily Ranboo turns on his flashlight. There is more piles of trash sitting along the walls. There is torn clothes, old toys, pieces of walls, pieces of wood, pieces of someone else's life. Ranboo's flashlight shines on some glass in a pile of stuffed animals.  
"Wait, over here." I dig through through the stuff animals and pull out a photo that's in a glass frame.  
"A family photo." I say holding it up for Ranboo to see.  
The glass is cracked and has smoke on it.  
I wipe some of the smoke off to reveal a man with blue eyes, a woman who is smiling, and a kid wearing pale pink boots.  
(Child's size 11. For the left foot)  
"Three people, three graves?" Ranboo says  
Me and Ranboo look at each other then hurry downstairs and out the back door.  
"Where are you guys going?" Tubbo asks  
"Don't you dare wander off to far Tommy!" Wilbur shouts  
Me and Ranboo find the gravestones and start pulling off weeds and scraping off moss. "Tommy?"  
The others come outside to see what we're doing.  
"The Travers family." I say quietly and point at the letters engraved into the gravestones.

Cynthia Travers, born March 24, 1986- died April 17, 1994  
Joy Travers, born September 3, 1956- died April 17, 1994  
Frank Travers, born March 1, 1954- died April 20, 1994

"Oh my god, one of them was a kid?" Tubbo whispers  
"Seriously guys this is messed up, you shouldn't have messed with these things." George says, crossing his arms.  
"It's okay George. Plus we found this photo of them!" Ranboo shows everyone the photo.  
"The Dad died a few days after the mom and daughter." Wilbur points out with a sad expression on his face.  
"Maybe we should go home. I need a nap." George yawns  
"It's not even that late." Ranboo says  
I start zoning out. Poor Frank Travers I can only imagine the thoughts that must have been going on inside his head. I have no right to be sad compared to him. I have no right to be sad when my house isn't burned down. I have no reason to be sad yet I still do. My sadness is pathetic compared to his.

"Tommy?" Ranboo starts poking me in the shoulder  
"Eh, what did I miss?"  
"Are you okay? You look tired." Ranboo asks with a concerned look on his face.  
"I am never tired. Sleep is for the weak Ranboo."  
"Rude, some of us need sleep to survive." George says  
"Well, I think we should get going. George gets cranky past his bedtime. See you later!"  
Ranboo and George walk away.  
"Lets get going fellas!"  
Me and my cousins walk back to Grandpa Schlatt's and Grandma Quackity's house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I don't think i'll be posting a chapter tomorrow because I think I should take a little break and let others catch up on chapters and stuff.


	12. The Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy goes to the library to do research on the grave house.

Aunt Niki is taking me the library. Originally I had asked Grandma Quackity to take me but he said he was to tired. I understand, I'm tired a lot too, and I don't do any of the things he does- Meetings at the library, Baking, taking care of us kids.  
I have no excuse to be tired.  
I am lazy.  
Unlike Grandma Quackity.  
Get it together Tommy.  
Tonight, after dinner, Ranboo and George are going to meet us by the tower. And I'm going to show up with answers, like, why the fire happened, and how it happened.  
"Soooooo, Aunt Niki, what are your opinions on women?"  
Niki chuckles "Well I am one, so I guess good."  
"Yes, I agree, women are good."  
"Yeah, so I heard that you and Tubbo have been growing pretty close." Niki says, still keeping her eyes on the road  
"Yeah, Tubbo's pretty cool, though he's always talking about bee's for some reason."  
"Yes, he's been obsessed with bee's ever since he was a little kid. He always talks about bee's and why they are the most superior creature to ever exist."  
Burst out into a fit a laughter. "That's exactly what he always talks about! He's always like, 'Bee's are so amazing, if you hate them, you are dead to me'."

We soon pull up to the library.  
"I'm gonna be next door at the coffee shop, okay?" Niki asks me  
"Sure, can you get me a coffee aswell?"  
"Okay, but it's gonna be a small one. I don't want your Grandparents asking me why you're super hyper all of a sudden."  
"Alright, see you later."  
I watch Niki walk off into the coffee shop.  
I go inside the library to see a bunch of bookshelves, tables, and little plastic chairs.  
"Can I help you?" A librarian looks up from his computer.  
"Perhaps. My name is Tommy Hart-"  
"Oh! Are the grandson who's visiting for the summer?"  
"Are you like a stalker or some shit?"  
The librarian laughs "No! Here let me introduce myself,  
I'm Karl Jacobs! Quackity has been talking about you for weeks now! I'm so happy your here, your grandparents have done so much for this town."  
I wonder why Grandma Quackity has been talking about me. Maybe at first he was excited. He's probably realised by now that I'm a disappointment.

"They've done a lot for this town?"  
"They sure have! Can I show you?"  
"Yeah, I gotta see this for my self."  
Karl leads me to a display case. He points to an old photograph, and sure enough, there are my grandparents. They pretty much look the same besides a few minor differences.  
"Your Grandpa Schlatt was Mayor at one point."  
"He was what?!"  
"Yep! Schlatt was Mayor."  
I can't believe it, my Old Grandpa was the mayor.  
I stare some more at the photograph. There is two teenage girls standing beside my grandparents. It's definitely Aunt Niki and Aunt Minx.  
A teenage boy stands away from them. Looking away from the camera. His face looks sorta sad...?  
"That's my dad, he looks sorta weird..."  
"You mean young?"  
Well yes that too. But that's not what I meant.  
"Anyways, what can I do for you Tommy?"

"I want to know about Frank Travers, Joy Travers, and Cynthia Travers. Oh and The Bailey Family. Also about any fires that happened about say twenty-five years ago."  
"The Travers Fire." Karl nods then goes to type all of it into his computer. He shows me a buch of articles on his computer then prints them all out. "You about done Tommy?" I turn around to see Aunt Niki holding two cups of coffee.  
"Hi Niki! Good to see you, I was just helping Tommy with-"  
"Studying about Women and why they are so amazing!" I interrupt Karl before he can even finish his sentence. Karl gives me a confused look.  
"Well thank you for helping him. Here's your coffee Tommy." Niki hands me a fresh cup of coffee.  
"Also is Quackity okay?"  
"Yeah, why wouldn't he be?" Niki looks concerned  
"Well I was only asking because he missed one of our meetings. Which is very out of character for him. He didn't even leave a message or anything."  
"Yes, well, we've been very busy ever since Tommy's arrived. Trying to make up for lost time you know?"  
God I'm such an inconvenience.  
Karl smiles "I should've guessed, Quackity was always such a family man."

I walk out the library sipping my coffee.  
"I don't get it," I tell Aunt Niki. "He said he went to that meeting."  
"You must have heard him wrong."  
"No. I remember it li-"  
"Tommy your grandma's a busy man. He probably got his schedule mixed up. I wouldn't worry about it."  
"But-"  
"Just don't worry about it Tommy, please?"  
I accept defeat, for now. "Alright."  
I climb into the car. The leather seat burns the back of my legs.  
I read one of the articles that Karl had printed out for me:

Frank Travers had worked at a small gas station. He was thirty-five years old at time of death.

Cynthia Travers had attended Billington Elementry. Eight years old at time of death.

Joy Travers worked at a diner. Thirty-three at time of death.

The fire happened twenty two years ago. The cause of fire: illegal garbage fire spread to the house.  
Joy and Cynthia Travers died in the fire.  
Frank Travers died three days later.  
My aunts saw the fire, and tried to save the Travers family but couldn't. Why is no one talking about this? Why am I just now finding out that my aunts are heroes?


	13. The Drive ll

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not writing yesterday, I had a bunch of school work dumped on me last minute

I have started accompanying Old Man Schlatt on some of his drives. Not all of them though, or else I would be going on a drive every single afternoon. I hear Grandpa Schlatt heading towards the garage door.  
"Can I come with?" I ask  
"Sure kiddo." He ruffles my hair  
"Hey stop that!"  
He chuckles then finally stops  
"Alright, alright."  
We get in the car and drive off.  
The sky is light blue and there is no clouds to be seen.  
Inside the car is silence. The radio is turned off. Grandpa Schlatt isn't taking. He looks exhausted. We stop at a stop sign. Grandpa Schlatt starts to stare off into space.

The article about the Travers fire sits inside my backpack.  
"Aunt Niki took me to the library this morning. I found out about the Travers fire."  
"What?" Grandpa Schlatt snaps out of his tired daze.  
"It says Aunt Niki, and Aunt Minx were heroes."  
I take the article out to show him.  
He snatches it out of my hands.  
"Why the fuck does no one talk about it? I think it's cool. They must have been so brave." Grandpa Schlatt crumbles up the article and throws it out the window.  
He looks like he's seen a ghost.  
"It was frightening for us, and your aunts, I'd prefer not to talk about it."  
"But-"

"No. End of discussion. Let's just enjoy the day."  
We start driving again.  
"You littered." I mumble  
Grandpa Schlatt gives me an angry glare.  
"Never Mind." I slump in my seat while crossing my arms.  
Grandpa Schlatt sighs "I'm sorry, I guess."  
"It's okay." I don't look at him while I speak.  
"Do you have your notebook with you?" Schlatt asks  
"Yeah, why?"  
"How about you read me something from it."  
"Alright."  
I pull my notebook out of my red backpack.  
I flip through my notebook, looking for a good page to read to him.  
"How about reasons I love Dadza?"  
"Sure."

Reasons I love Dadza  
*He has a wife  
*He has blonde hair, like me  
*He has a cool hat  
*He is funny  
*He gives good advice (except when it comes to women.)

"He-" I pause.  
"This one's kinda stupid."  
"What is it?" Grandpa Schlatt asks me  
"Promise me you won't laugh."  
"I promise." Grandpa Schlatt has a smug smile on his face.

*He reminds me of Old Man Schlatt

As soon as I read that, Grandpa Schlatt bursts out laughing.  
"You promised, asshole!"  
"I'm sorry it's just-"  
Grandpa Schlatt can't finish sentence from how much he's laughing.  
"It's just I don't see the similarities! We are polar oppsites!"  
Schlatt then starts coughing from laughing so hard.  
I giggle a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow another short chapter? How shocking!


	14. The Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy and crew goes to The Grave House to clean it some more.

That evening. I show Tubbo and Wilbur a spare article that Grandpa Schlatt did not throw away. I tell them everything I've learned about the Travers fire. Obviously something is being kept from us. Some sort of terrible secret. And we're going to find out what it is. I leave a note and the article for Ranboo in the mailbox.  
Ranboo's response, a couple of hours later:

Dear Tommy,  
I didn't know about your aunts and the fire either. George says same for him. Why doesn't the article talk about your dad? It says your aunts saw the fire, and it talks about your grandparents. But it doesn't say anything about your dad, that's weird, right?  
Your friend Ranboo

So Ranboo noticed it too, huh?  
I really do wonder why my father wasn't mentioned and yet my aunts and grandparents were. Dad knew about the fire, so why wasn't he mentioned? Ugh, so many questions, so little answers.  
They're all hiding something from me, my aunts, my grandparents.  
We sneak out after dinner to meet with the Baileys. Techno is covering for us again. He must be so annoyed. I must be such a nuisance to him.

Drista and Dream are coming with us this time.  
Ranboo has a backpack full of cleaning supplies.  
So do I. And so does Wlbur.  
I had raided the pantry and the garage for cleaning supplies.  
Just stole some cleaning supplies, feeling good.  
Tubbo is rambling about bee's and Wilbur looks like he's tuning him out. George is in the front, leading everyone.  
And me and Ranboo are chatting in the back.

"How's your day going?" Ranboo asks me  
"Pretty good, Aunt Niki let me drink coffee today."  
"That sounds nice. I try not to drink coffee often."  
"How come?"  
"I just get really hyper is all."  
"Isn't that literally the point of coffee?"  
"Yeah, that's why I don't drink it."  
"Anyways what's up with your dad?" I ask  
"What do you mean?"  
"It's just that you never talk about him. Same with your mom."  
"Well they're being held captive, by the zombie."

Wilbur says that we'll be able to stay at the grave house for about an hour since the adults are currently playing dominoes while drinking cocktails.  
We finally arrive at The Grave House.  
Tubbo and Ranboo sweep up dirt and leaves out of the kitchen.  
Wilbur and George scrub countertops.  
Dream and Drista stuff trash into garbage bags.  
And I sit on the couch and watch them clean.

"Tommy, are going to help us or not?" Wilbur asks with his hands on his hips.  
"I'm good, thanks."  
"Get off the damn couch and help us clean."  
"Fineeeeeee."  
I get off the couch and help Dream and Drista shove trash into garbage bags.  
I take the garbage bag outside and, with Tubbo's help, lift it into the bed of the old pickup truck. Everything smells like shit.  
I almost gag at the smell. But Tubbo looks completely unaffected.

What it means to be a Hart  
*You look good even after sprinting across a forest.  
*You look completely unaffected by the smell of garbage and feet.

Me and Tubbo go back inside the kitchen and see Wilbur and George talking about ghosts and if they really exist.  
"They're definitely real." Wilbur says  
"I don't think so."  
"Well I think they do, asshole."  
"Geez if you insist."  
"Aw, George and Wilbur are bonding." Tubbo says to me  
"Yep. Definitely not arguing about ghosts or anything." I think it would be cool if ghosts existed. Then I could flicker the lights and shove books off of book shelves. If I were a ghost I would annoy people for all of eternity. So not much would change from now.  
Me and Tubbo get back to sweeping and putting trash in garage bags.  
"This is so boringgggg!" I complain  
"Shut up small child. This whole thing was literally your idea." Wilbur mocks me  
"I'm not even small! I'm a big man!"  
"Keep telling yourself that."

Everyone laughs except for me.  
"You're not funny Wilbur."  
"Whatever, now get back to cleaning."  
I do as Wilbur says, and I start cleaning again.  
We clean for what feels like a billion years.  
"I'm going outside!" I say while going through the back door.  
"I'll come with! I could really use a break as well." Me and Ranboo go outside and sit next to the gravestones.  
"Do think it hurt when they died?" Ranboo whispers  
"Most likely."  
"Doesn't it scare you?"  
"Does what scare me?"  
"The thought of death."  
"No. Nothing scares me."  
That is lie. Plenty of things scare me. But I'll never admit that out loud.  
"Come on! You have to be scared of something!"  
"Nope. Nothing."  
Ranboo sighs "If you say so."  
Wilbur comes outside and says that it's time to go home.  
"Oh thank god! See ya wouldn't want to be ya!"  
I run off into the dark woods with the others following behind.  
"Tommy, slow down!" Wilbur shouts from behind.


	15. The Talk

My Aunts have to drag my Cousins out of the house on Tuesday morning-literally, in Dream and Drista's case.  
I help Aunt Minx get Dream and Drista in the car.  
They would not sit until I reminded them about becoming soldiers and how soldiers don't throw fits.  
"Thank you, Tommy" Aunt Minx sighs  
"You're welcome."  
"Usually they aren't like this. They used to always be like, 'Grandma Quackity's house it so boring' and 'All he does is make us clean and listen to Pitbull'. But now? You'd think that taking them for two short days is the end of the world. You're working some kind of magic on them, Tommy."  
Techno passes by us on his way to the garage.  
"Black magic, perhaps?"  
Aunt Minx rolls her eyes. "Don't mind Techno. He's a teenager. He can't help being obnoxious."  
I chuckle so hard that I start tearing up.  
"Bye!." Aunt Minx gets in the car and drives off

Mom calls me at 7:57 on Thursday.  
She hasn't called in a few days.  
She's probably been busy with her stupid work.  
I answer.  
"Tommy! I'm sorry it's been days, I really am. I've been so busy."  
I go downstairs and into the backyard.  
"I feel rotten. But you know how crazy this time of year gets."  
"It's fine Mom."  
I take a seat on the swing.  
"So tell me, how's it going?" Mom asks  
"Fine."  
In actuality my summer has been very chaotic so far.  
"And how is everyone?"  
Dream and Drista are having a sword fight with toy lightsabers.  
Tubbo is running back and forth between the kitchen and the living room; each time he comes back, he holds a fresh cookie. Wilbur is braiding Techno's hair.

Aunt Minx holds a can of Coca-Cola, and Aunt Niki is wearing a glittery paper pirate hat that Drista made for her.  
Quackity is karaoking to Pitbulls song, Timber.  
And Schlatt is trying to watch tv, But I can't imagine he can actually hear it.  
"Same as always, loud."  
Mom laughs.  
"Your Dad said Hart House was always a bit of a zoo."  
"Heh, yeah. But I sorta like it. I feel like I fit in."  
"That's good....I miss you so much Tommy. It feels like I haven't seen you in months, and it's only been, what? Five weeks?  
"About four weeks."  
"Well it feels longer to me. How are you doing? Really."  
"I'm okay, really."  
"You would tell me with you were sad, right?  
"Yes." 

That is a lie.  
I just don't want my parents to worry about me.  
They already have enough to worry about as it is.  
"Good, just making sure is all."  
"I know. I'm genuinely having a lot of fun. Well for the most part." This is true. I'm having a lot of fun with Wilbur, Tubbo, and Ranboo.

I just stress out and worry a lot.  
  
"Are you still going on drives with your grandfather?"  
"Sometimes."  
"Ah, I see."

"Yeah it's pretty fun, we usually talk about women, are favorite cuss words, and about the times he went to prison. But he can be really serious sometimes, one time him and Tubbo were playing chess, and I literally saw Tubbo sweating. He's intense."  
Mom chuckles  
"And get this, he wears nice pants and shirts everyday. Even when he's lounging around the house."  
"Your Dad once said that when he was a kid, they had to change their clothes for dinner," Mom says "You couldn't wear sweats or pajamas. You had to wear nice clothes."  
"Thank fucking god they don't do that anymore."  
"It was your grandmother's idea apparently."  
"He loves having things look nice."

Grandma Quackity is very intimidating.  
He loves having things be perfect. (Which I am far from being.)  
He has an odd obsession with Pitbull (Who the hell listens to Pitbull anymore?)  
And he practically dodges all my questions.

"Yeah your father said that he was always sorta obsessed with having things look nice."  
"Yeah, he makes us clean everyday."  
"So, Tommy. There is something I wanted to talk to you about, before we say goodnight."  
I hang on tightly to the ropes of the swing. My stomach is churning.  
I bet she wants to talk about her and Dad.  
I will not listen to a single word she says.  
Behind me a door slams. I turn and see Ranboo running down the hill from the Bailey house.  
I wave at him.  
Mom is talking but I'm not listening. I hear words- your father, trying really hard, not working-  
"Mom I have to go."  
I hang up before she can even respond.


	16. The Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy wakes up in the middle of the night again, only this time he is extra sad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SLIGHT WARNING: This chapter contains lots of depressing thoughts, feeling nausiated (nothing to bad though, plus it doesn't last long.), and this chapter is just straight up kinda sad.

Oh shit.  
No.  
No.  
It's happening again.  
I wake up, unable to move, pinned to my bed by something I cannot name.  
My mind is racing with terrible thoughts.  
I can hardly breathe.  
I will never be as cool as Techno, I will never be as brave as Tubbo, I will never be as funny as Wilbur, I will never be as kind as Ranboo.  
I am a disappointment.  
A disappointment that doesn't deserve anyone's kindness or hospitality.  
I am obnoxious, loud, annoying.  
And my parents are getting a-  
Getting a-

A train horn howls in the distance.  
The train tracks are near Hart house, but I have yet to find them.  
I feel sick to my stomach.  
I hurry to the bathroom at the end of the hallway,  
The one I share with Techno.

I open the toilet seat lid and kneel in front of it.  
But nothing comes out.  
I need to be happy. I should be happy. Why aren't I happy?  
A door opens.  
Techno.  
"Tommy?"  
Damn it, Techno. Why did you have to wake up?  
You cannot understand how I'm feeling right now.  
Not even I hardly understand.  
"Tommy." He sits beside me on the floor "Are you sick?"  
I whisper, "I don't know. I feel..."  
I feel sad.  
I feel heavy.  
I feel like I don't want to be alive.  
I feel like my life's falling apart.  
Will I feel this way forever?  
My mind says I will.

"The fuck is going on? Techno?"  
A new voice.  
Grandma Quackity.  
Oh no.  
"Tommy's got a stomach ache," says Techno "probably from all those cookies he ate."  
Thank you, Techno.  
"Yeah." I put a hand over my stomach. "I think I had, like, ten? At most."  
I force a small chuckle.  
It sounds so obviously fake.  
Grandma Quackity does not look convinced.  
"Would you like some medicine, or something?" He asks  
"No that's okay."  
He fills a cup with water and gives it to me, then feels my forehead, then wipes his hand on a towel.

Oh.  
I see.  
I don't blame him.  
I wouldn't want to be contaminated by me and my sadness either  
"Drink up. I'm sure you'll be better in the morning."  
No I won't.  
I don't think i'll ever feel better.  
"Okay. Thanks, sorry I woke you up."  
I'm such an inconvenience, aren't I?  
"It's fine. If you need anything, just wake me up, okay?"  
Like I would bother him more then I already have.  
Once Grandma Quackity has gone back to bed, everything is quiet.  
I can feel Techno looking at me, but I ignore him.  
I feel so humiliated.  
I wish I weren't here right now.  
Techno does not seem to care that I'm ignoring him.  
He scoots closer and awkwardly pulls me into his arms.  
You can tell that he's not much of a hugger.  
Even when I start to cry, he holds onto me.


	17. The Worry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow it's been a hot second since I've written a chapter!

On Sunday, around lunch time, Tubbo tip-toes into my dark room.  
"Tommy?" He sits on the edge of my bed.  
I lie under a mountain of blankets.  
"Are you okay? Grandma Quackity said you got sick last night."  
I wish it was a sickness.  
Maybe then I could take some medicine or get surgery, but no.  
I'm just sad.  
For no reason.  
"Yeah," I mumble "Ate to much cookies."  
"I completely understand! Grandma Quackitys cookies are so addicting!" 

"Mhm." I say into my pillow  
"Hey. Really, are you okay? Do you need me to bring you something?"  
"Do you ever have bad days?"  
"Sure. Mom says that's when you get up on the wrong side of the bed."  
"So you feel sad?"  
"Yeah, I guess. But I just play on my phone or doodle pictures of bee's, and I feel better."  
Ah. I see.  
Our bad days aren't the same.  
On my bad days I feel sick.  
And nothing can make me feel better.  
"You think you'll be okay for the fireworks tomorrow?" Tubbo asks

Fourth of July.  
My summer is half over.  
"Yeah, I'm just tired."  
"Ranboo left a note in the mailbox. He says he wants to go to the Grave House tonight so that we can clean it some more."  
I know I should want to go.  
But I'm so tired.  
And selfish.  
"You'll feel better by then, right?"  
"Maybe," I say "I'm going to nap for a while." "Well, we'll be outside. Dream wants to paint the walls inside the Tower, and I think we should let him so Wilbur doesn't pull his hair out. Is that okay with you?"

  
"The painting, or Wilbur pulling his hair out?"  
Tubbo laughs. "Now that's funny. Feel better, okay?"  
I don't think I get to choose if I feel better or not.  
"I will." I let out a fake yawn. "Thanks Tubbo."  
Then he is gone, and I am all alone.  
I wake up later and dig out my phone.  
I find Dad in my contacts.  
My thumb hovers over the call button.  
But what would I say?  
Dad I am freaking out for no reason.  
Dad I am sad and I don't know why.  
Plus I don't want to bother him.

I put my phone away.  
My stomach starts to growl.  
I sigh and get out of bed.  
I force a ham and cheese sandwich down my throat.  
The house is quiet. Afternoon light pours in through the sunroom.  
I hear someone moving around in the garage and I peek out the window.  
Techno is painting. He has a pair of earbuds on.  
It looks like he's painting a picture of a pig holding a sword.  
Interesting.  
My hand rests on the doorknob.  
Should I apologize for what happened last night?  
Sorry for crying all over your shirt.  
Sorry for waking you up in the middle of the night.  
Sorry for being such a freak, Techno.  
No.  
I'd rather forget about what happened last night.  
I wander around the quiet house.  
Looking at photos of my family members.  
There are no photos of my dad.  
I wonder if I will ever get to have my photo on the wall.  
Probably not.  
I am too loud.  
Too annoying.  
Too weird.


	18. The Rage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: this chapter has Schlatt being angry and stuff and he almost hits a child out of rage (But he doesn't because he is actually a kinda good human being. Also obviously I'm talking about his persona not the person.)

After moping around the house for a little while longer, I decide to go outside.  
The Tower-there it is. There they are, my cousins, painting the tower.  
Drista and Dream have green paint all over their clothes. They grin at me. Wilbur has blue paint in his hair and looks tired as hell and is talking to George. Tubbo is explaining to Ranboo that the spaceship Ranboo painted cannot be as big as the sun he painted.  
Wilbur says, "He can paint whatever he wants, you weirdo."  
Ranboo looks past my shoulder.  
Someone is following me.  
I turn around.  
Grandpa Schlatt- hurrying down the stone steps with a pissed off expression on his face.  
"Tommy?" Grandpa Schlatt is speaking. "Tommy!"  
I flinch. Grandpa Schlatts voice is boiling with anger.  
"Yes?"

"You and Wilbur take your cousins back in the house. Now."  
Tubbo protests. "But, Grandpa Schlatt we were-"  
"I don't want to fucking hear it! Get back in the house right now!"  
Wilbur goes back inside with Drista and Dream.  
Tubbo follows soon after  
I will not leave.  
I knew that Grandpa Schlatt had anger issues but I never knew it was this bad.  
His face is red. The brown in his eye's have been replaced with dark black.

Where's the Schlatt that would talk about women? Where's the Schlatt that would talk about his prison stories? Where's the Schlatt that once got us KFC for dinner?  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He spat.  
"You know you are to never-never-come near this house, this property, or any of my grandchildren."  
"Sir," Ranboo says, "Let me explain-"  
"I don't want to hear your fuckin' explanation. I want you to go home. Now."

"Grandpa Schlatt, it was my fault."  
Usually I don't take the blame for things but I care about Ranboo and George and I don't want them to get in trouble for my reckless actions.  
Grandpa Schlatt turns twords me, his arm is raised, for a second I think he is going to hit me.  
Ranboo runs in front of me to protect me from Grandpa Schlatt.  
Grandpa Schlatt pauses. His face looks shocked. His breathing is fast-paced. He lowers his hand.  
"Grandpa Schlatt, please," I say "I'm sorry. They'll go home, okay?"  
"Get out of here." Grandpa Schlatt whispers.  
None of us move.

"I said, get out of here!"  
The Bailey's run off into the woods.  
Now it is just me and Grandpa Schlatt.  
Grandpa Schlatt stares at the Tower for a long time, and then rips down the banner Ranboo had made.  
"I'm sorry-"

"Shush, Tommy. You've done enough."  
"But they didn't do anything-"  
"You don't know dang shit about those boys, or their family. They're not the kind of people we associate with."  
I can't believe this bullcrap.  
I can't believe Grandpa Schlatt almost hit me.  
I can't believe I actually looked up to this guy.  
"Get yourself back inside," He says "And don't you tell anyone-and I mean anyone-what you saw tonight."  
Techno stands at the top of the pit. He must have heard the noise. He watches me as I hurry up the stone steps and rush inside into the house, but he doesn't say anything.

No one makes me come down for dinner.  
Perhaps they do not want me there.  
That's fine with me.  
I will lie here in my bed with the window open and listen to the trees whispering.  
I cuddle into my pillow, it smells like Mom and Dad's apartment.  
Someone knocks on my door. I do not answer.  
"Tommy?"

It is Schlatt. I do not move.  
He cracks the door open and steps inside.  
"I owe you an apology," He says quietly. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, Kiddo."  
I do not answer.  
"But you can't see those boys anymore. All right, Tommy?  
I won't budge on that, and neither will Quackity."  
Silence.  
I finally speak "If I do-"  
"You won't." Schlatt interrupts  
"If I do-"  
"Tommy."  
"Will you make everyone stop talking to me, like Grandma Quackity did to dad?"  
....

"Goodnight, Tommy."


	19. The Truth

What It Means To Be A Hart  
*You look good even after sprinting across a forest  
*You look completely unaffected by the smell of garbage and feet  
*If something is wrong with you, it must be fixed

On The Fourth Of July, Dream cracks under pressure.  
Upon questioning him, Aunt Minx discovers that, on top of befriending the Baileys, we have also been visiting the Grave House.

When she tells Grandma Quackity and Schlatt, I am standing right there in front of them.  
Aunt Minx shoots me concerned looks I can see out of the corner of my eye, but I do not look back at her.  
Dream is such a traitor.  
Grandma Quackity doesn't get angry. He says,  
"I'm so disappointed in you Tommy."  
"Quackity, hold on," Schlatt begins. "He doesn't know-"  
"Go to your room right now."  
Grandma Quackity turns away.  
"We'll speak about this later."  
But we don't speak about it. Not that night, watching the fireworks in town.

It has been decided that, something must be done about me.  
For I am a bad kid.  
I hear whispers downstairs:

"Before Tommy came, our children never associated with the Bailey boys. They would have never even thought about it."

"Before Tommy came, our grandchildren would never have wandered off into the woods. All the way back to that house, can you believe it?"

"That House" obviously the Grave House. For some stupid reason Grandma Quackity and Schlatt speak about it in code words.

(But why wouldn't they talk about the Travers house?)  
(Why do they not speak about my heroic aunts?)

"Did you know? I found Tommy in the bathroom the other night, crouching in front of the toilet. He said it was a stomach ache, but I don't believe him."

"That notebook of his, he's always writing in it when he's not dragging his cousins through the woods. He makes a lot of lists. In fact he's got pages and pages of them."

"Isn't that a bit obsessive?"

"Doesn't he strike you as troubled? Tubbo says Tommy writes in his notebook to keep him from being sad."

"Sad about what? Why doesn't he ever say anything about being sad?"

"He's so different from us."

"Phil was always different too, and look what happened with him. He left us."

"I think it would be best if we sign him up for a meeting with a psychologist once a week."

"We should also keep the kids away from him, for a while."

"It's for the best."

I know absolutely nothing about what a psychologist is but it doesn't sound good.  
On Thursday, Quackity sits in Schlatts office and tells Dad about the situation over the phone.  
I stand outside the office , staring through the glass doors.  
After ten minutes Quackity opens the door. "Your father wants to speak with you."  
I snatch the phone out of his hand.  
"Dad?"  
"Toms. Tommy, what were you thinkin'?"  
"What do you mean?"

"The Bailey's, Toms. I told you not to be friends with them. I told you your grandparents wouldn't like it."  
"Dad, I'm sorry, but we were just playing. We didn't do anything wrong."  
"And taking your cousins to some strange house at night?"  
"It's the Grave House and it isn't strange just lonely."  
Dadza sighs.  
"Quackity and Schlatt think I should go see a psycho-lo-gist."  
"Yeah, He told me. Do you think that would help?"  
"Help with what?"

"Your Mom and I will drive down and come with you."  
"No. There is nothing fucking wrong with me."  
"Nobody's saying that Tommy. But maybe talking to someone will help you figure out some things. Me and your Mom have been talking for some time now and we think that it might be a good idea for all of us to go together."  
"What do you mean by, help me figure out things?"  
"Like your notebook."

"What the hell is wrong with my notebook!"  
"Your Grandma says that you write in it constantly."  
"Pshhh, I don't write in it that much."  
"Your Mom and I can drive down next week-"  
No. I don't need anyone's pity.  
I don't need anyone's help!  
I won't listen to whatever Dadza has to say.  
They will not be coming here.  
"If you come here," I tell him, "I won't go. I swear I won't!"  
"Well your mother and I think it might help."  
Dadza says quietly. "We'll let you go alone, if that's what you want, but when you come home, maybe we can go with you. What do you say Mate? I know this has been a hard summer, for all of us-"  
"Not for me! I've been having the the time of my fucking life!"  
I cry tears of rage and sadness.  
I hang up.


	20. The Appointment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, this chapter is short.

The day of my first appointment arrives. I will have one every Tuesday afternoon at three o'clock.  
Before we leave, Schlatt presents me with a black suit and red tie. "You always wear that baggy ass t-shirt," he says to me " I thought a suit would be a nice change."  
I hate suits.  
Though I put on the suit anyways.  
"You look very epic Tommy." Quackity says.  
I wonder if Quackity and Schlatt are trying to erase the old troublemaker Tommy and are replacing him with the Perfect Tommy in a suit.

Quackity and I get in the van parked in the garage and drive off.  
"I'm honestly so proud of you Tommy. I think this will be good for you."  
"It will?"  
"Definitely. This'll get everything back to normal. A normal summer."  
In other words: This will make 𝑀𝑒 go back to normal.  
I don't believe that I will ever go back to normal.

Me and Quackity step into the waiting room. Jazz music plays in the background, there are stacks of magazines on a coffee table, two kids play with a vintage dollhouse, and a fish tank sits on top of a wooden table.  
Me and Quackity take a seat in some dark red chairs.  
This whole thing is so stupid.  
I reckon that I am already happy.  
I don't need anyone's help.

  
I ̵͉̓â̵̡̝̹m̵͔͈̽ ̴͕̗͋̀͝ĥ̵̜͇̈͠a̸͉̳p̴̛̲̮p̶̠̻̑̑y̸̡͔͎͐͂.  
I ̵͉̓â̵̡̝̹m̵͔͈̽ ̴͕̗͋̀͝ĥ̵̜͇̈͠a̸͉̳p̴̛̲̮p̶̠̻̑̑y̸̡͔͎͐͂.  
I ̵͉̓â̵̡̝̹m̵͔͈̽ ̴͕̗͋̀͝ĥ̵̜͇̈͠a̸͉̳p̴̛̲̮p̶̠̻̑̑y̸̡͔͎͐͂.  
I ̵͉̓â̵̡̝̹m̵͔͈̽ ̴͕̗͋̀͝ĥ̵̜͇̈͠a̸͉̳p̴̛̲̮p̶̠̻̑̑y̸̡͔͎͐͂.  
I ̵͉̓â̵̡̝̹m̵͔͈̽ ̴͕̗͋̀͝ĥ̵̜͇̈͠a̸͉̳p̴̛̲̮p̶̠̻̑̑y̸̡͔͎͐͂.  
I am-

"Tommy Hart?"  
Some dude holding a clipboard walks in the room, he has black hair, and a black and red hoodie on.  
"Yeah, that's me."  
"Come with me!"  
Me and Quackity stand up. Quackity says, "Techno will pick you up in a hour."

"Oh, please do join us, Mr. Hart," the guy suggests "We recommend-"  
"Nah. Sorry, I'm tired as fuck-"  
"LANGUAGE!"  
"Man, you're loud!"  
The psy-cho-whatever dude sighs and leads me to his office.  
I see a couch and a chair in front of it.  
"Please do take a seat."  
I sit down on the worn out couch.  
"It's good to meet you Tommy! My name's BadBoyHalo but you can call me Bad!"  
"Good to meet you too, I guess."  
"Also, please refrain from saying any swear words."  
My eyes practically light up.

"Fuck, piss, shit-"  
"Language!"  
BadBoyHalo shakes his head in disappointment.  
"Here, have a muffin."  
Bad takes out a muffin from a container he has sitting on a coffee table.  
"Thanks?"  
"You're welcome."  
I don't take a single bite of the muffin.  
"I actually have some work to do, you can sit there and relax for a while, and we can try to talk again in a few minutes."  
"That sounds good."  
We stay in a comfortable silence.


	21. The Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter!

Tonight is movie night at the Hart House. I have no clue what we will be watching but hopefully it'll be entertaining.

I watch as my Aunt's cars pull up outside the house.  
As soon as Tubbo hops out of his car, he runs upstairs, opens my door, and gives me a huge hug.  
"So. These past couple of weeks?"  
"Yeah?"  
"They've sucked."  
"Agreed, Big Man."  
Tubbo releases me from his hug.  
"What have been doing without me around? It's been two whole weeks without the woods. I never thought I'd say this but, I miss those darn trees. I've been dying of boredom in case you were wondering."

"I haven't been doing much. Schlatt bought me some stupid suits though."  
"That sounds awful."  
"It really is."  
"He should have bought you something cool. Like, hiking boots or a sweater."  
"Hey, Tubbo, you reckon that we'll ever get to go in the woods again?"

"Surly we will be able to someday...right?"  
"I hope so." I whisper  
"Plus, the Travers family need us."  
At this point, I don't really care about the Travers family.  
"Perhaps we should just let them rest in piece, Tubbo."  
"Come on! You don't mean that! We still need to finish cleaning the house."

"I suppose you're right." I mumble  
Dream and Drista barge into my room.  
"Hereditary, Hereditary!"  
"Oh god, can we please just watch something wholesome like, My Neighbor Totoro or Wreck-It Ralph?"  
"HEREDITARY!"  
"C'mon kids we're starting the damn movie!" Minx shouts from downstairs.

Tubbo groans "I hate horror movies."  
"It's alright big man. I'm sure it won't be that bad."  
Dream tugs at the sleeve of Tubbo's shirt "Hurry, hurry!"  
I chuckle a bit before going downstairs as well.  
I'm sure this movie won't be too scary.

Spoiler Alert: It was scary! IT WAS SCARY!!! Aunt Niki literally had to turn off the movie half way through because it was getting too disturbing! Hell, even Techno looked a tad bit unsettled! I even had to lay out a sleeping bag in my room for tubbo because he was too scared to sleep all alone in the guest room.

"You're such a scaredy-cat, Tubbo."  
"You were literally scared too! And I am not a scaredy-cat!"  
"Are too."  
"Am not!"  
"Are too."  
"Am not-"  
Before I can respond back Wilbur shouts from downstairs, "Can you gremlins shut the fuck up and go to sleep already!"  
"Sounds like someones had a long day!" I shout back  
"No, I'm just not in the mood to hear two children argue all night!"  
"We are not children!"  
"Shut up!"  
"No you!"  
Techno interrupts me and Wilburs bickering.  
"Can you both shut up! Some of us need are beauty sleep!"  
"Fine! Wilbur is boring to talk to anyways!"  
And so, I peacefully drift off to sleep for once in my life.


	22. The Night

While Quackity is busy watching some Mexican Soap Opera upstairs on Sunday, I hear Ranboo calling my name. I look out the living room windows, and see Ranboo across the river, looking nervous. He calls my name again then runs back to his house.  
Techno agrees to cover for me by telling Schlatt a boring story about a dude named Theseus.  
I sneak outside to check the mailbox.  
Inside I find a letter from Ranboo:

Hi Tommy! How are you?  
I for one have been doing alright,  
me and George have been cleaning up the Grave House but it's not as fun without you guys.  
Please meet at the bridge, pipe, thingy tonight. Midnight.  
It's alright if you can't but I'd really love it if you came!

Your Friend, Ranboo

__________________

At around 11:50 I sneak outside.  
I see a figure, standing at the end of the pipe, waving at me.  
I tiredly wave back.  
Ranboo carefully crosses over the bridge and pulls me into a hug.  
"Did you miss me?" I ask  
"Of course I missed you! Why wouldn't I?"

Because I'm selfish.  
Because I'm loud.  
Because I'm obnoxious.

The list goes on really.

"I don't know."  
"Exactly." Ranboo responds. "How about we go over to the train tracks?"  
"Why? You want to kill me or some shit?"  
"No! I just like watching the train go by."

Ranboo leads me to were the train tracks are at.  
"Don't sit too close to the train tracks, you could get hit by gravel."  
We both take a seat on the ground and wait for the train to arrive.  
Ranboo takes out two pairs of earplugs and hands one to me.  
"Thanks, I guess." I say  
"No problem!"

"Hey, Tommy. Do you ever think about running away?"  
"What kind of question is that? Of course not. I love my parents even if there busy all the time."  
Even if they're getting a divorce.  
"Yeah, same. My dad's a really nice guy, he just makes dumb decisions sometimes."  
Ranboo and I put are earplugs in.  
I see the bright train light up ahead.  
The train rushes by in a flash. I wish I was as fast as a train. Maybe then I could outrun all of my problems.  
I shiver from the breeze the train had left behind.  
Things are quiet.  
Ranboo and I get up and take our earplugs out.  
We walk through the woods and then we climb the hill to his house.  
"Well, I should go home. Sleepyinnit."  
"It is getting pretty late isn't it?"  
"Ranboo is that you?" I hear a voice say  
"Dad?" Ranboo asks  
I look over to the side of the house to see, a man sitting in a lawn chair. The man has brown hair, a crown, and a bi flag wrapped around him like a cape.  
"What's up, dad?"  
"Nothing much, just enjoying the night." The man takes a swig of his Coca-Cola. "Who's your friend?"  
Before Ranboo can respond, I say, "My name is Tommy."  
"Tommy Hart, isn't it?"  
"Damn right, I'm Tommy Hart."  
"Geez kid, who taught you how to swear?"  
"My self, bitch."  
"Hm, well, nice night don't you think?"  
Ranboo's dad is way more chill then I thought.  
Ranboo made him out to be some kind of zombie when clearly that isn't the case. Sheesh, what a liar.  
"Sure is."

Ranboo sits on the ground next to his dad and pats the patch of grass next to him.  
I shrug and take a seat.  
"Can Tommy stay for a while?" Ranboo asks his dad.  
"Of course! The more the merrier!"  
Phils words begin to echo in my head-I wouldn't trust them for anything, he did bad things, he did bad things- but I cannot possibly see how Ranboo's dad could be a bad guy.  
"I absolutely love the woods at night." Eret says after a while.  
"Same here." Ranboo responds. "Tommy you should tell him one of your stories."  
"Uhhhhhhh alright," I say while taking out my notebook "There once was a big man who was a brave soldier. He was a lone wolf. He lived in a place called L'manburg..."  
I continue to read to Ranboo and his Dad for almost a whole hour before I part with the two. I'm going to be so tired tomorrow.


	23. The Music

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M ALIVE YAY NEW CHAPTERRRRRR

Apparently BadBoyHalo does not want to hear me rambling about my favorite cuss words and Khai Dreams songs today.  
He talks to me for five minutes straight about: A dude named Skeppy, his dog (who is named Rat for some reason), and his taste in books (mostly fantasy and sci fi).  
Bad takes a sip of coffee out of a mug that has the words, Big Daddy on it. I try to hold back my laughter. "Is my rambling boring you?"  
"Honestly, yeah."  
"Wow, you're so kind." BadBoyHalo says sarcastically.  
"sorry."  
"Hm? Did you just apologize?"  
"Yes."  
"No, no, no- no need to apologize muffinhead! There's nothing to be sorry about. You were just being honest with me and thats okay!"  
"If you say so."  
"Tommy, I'm going to be frank with you. I like honesty, and I think adults should be a little more honest with children. Adults think lying to children will help protect them. But I for one disagree."  
I also don't like it when people lie.  
But at the same time I lie to myself a lot.  
Every adult in my life has been lying to me.  
How is BadBoyHalo any different?  
"Really?"  
"Yes. Is that okay with you?"  
"Yeah. But..."  
"You don't have to be honest with me back. I understand you don't know me very well. It's okay."  
I start to relax a bit.  
"Okay."  
"Okay. So, as part of me being honest, I have to ask you something. Do you know why your parents and your grandparents decided to make you these appointments with me?"  
Because I'm a bad influence.  
Because I'm clingy.  
Because I'm reckless.  
Because I'm broken.  
Because I'm a smudge on their glass.

I am positive that me grandparents wouldn't understand the concept of my sad days. The idea of, waking up in the middle of the night, terrible thoughts bustling around in your head, the pit in your stomach that never leaves, getting nervous over little things.  
They wouldn't understand.  
I don't even understand.  
My grandparents would probably just say stuff like:  
'It's just a phase'  
'It probably has something to do with your parents'  
'I'm sure it'll pass'

"No. I have no idea why." I shrug.  
"Your grandparents told me you're staying with them this summer because your parents are having some trouble. They're worried about you. They say you've gotten your cousins playing some dangerous games in the woods-"  
"They're not dangerous! We're just playing."  
"What do you play?"  
Bad wouldn't understand.  
L'manburg is for me, the Baileys, and my cousins only.  
No one else.  
"You would never understand."  
"That's probably true. It'd be like when Skeppy tries to explain why he is more superior then Rat."  
BadBoyHalo wouldn't understand.  
My grandparents think he would but they are wrong.  
L'manburg, The Grave House, The train tracks, The three lonely Graves- They are for me and my cousins and the Baileys.  
No one else could understand.  
BadBoyHalo is just a stranger to me.  
He doesn't deserve to know about L'manburg.  
I usually love rambling to BadBoyHalo.  
But right now I just want to stare at the floor.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

Techno picks me up when the appointment is over.  
I am far from happy that he knows about my appointments.  
"Hullo."  
"Hi, Techno."  
"How'd it go today?"  
"It was fine, I guess."  
Techno pops his gum and drives out of the clinic's parking lot.  
Techno starts flipping the radio. It reminds me of Mom. I fondly smile at the memory of Mom flipping through the radio stations constantly.  
"What kind of music do you like?"  
"I like video game soundtracks and Khai Dreams." "Do you like Minecraft?" "No. Never played it before."  
"Well it's a pretty cool game. Have you listened to Hamilton?"  
I make a confused face. "What's that?"  
"BruUuh, your kidding right?"  
I don't respond.  
"Hamilton is only one of the greatest musicals of all time! Do you not have good music taste?"  
"I haven't heard of it. Sorry-"  
"Don't be sorry." Techno sighs and takes out a yellow disc with a black silhouette on it. "You're in for a real treat."  
Techno puts the disc in a slot.  
Music starts playing. Techno turns up the volume.  
I really like the lyrics.  
The beats a little intense compared to the music I listen to but despite that I still really enjoy the song.  
"This is the start of your education on good music taste. I'm going to start playing you new songs every week."  
"I believe I already have good music taste but alright."  
Techno continues singing to himself, and I hum along a little.  
Techno pulls the car beneath a tree.  
He stares out the window.  
"You're a good kid Tommy. I know I've been a bit of a jerk to you but I just want to make it clear that I care about you."  
I'm shocked. The almighty Techno just admitted to caring about me.  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Honestly I'm kinda jealous of you. You got away. You didn't have to grow up with everyone breathing down your neck. Everyone expecting you to fit in and be perfect."  
Techno just said he's jealous of me.  
I must write this down when I get home.  
"Techno?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Do you know why I've never visited before this summer?  
Do you know why everyones mad at my dad?"  
"Sorry, no, I don't."

Me and Techno pull up outside Hart House.  
"Hi you two!" Niki calls from outside the garage.  
"Hurry up! Grandma Quackity made sugar cookies!"  
Techno sighs "Of course he did." He slams the car door and goes to hug his Mom.


	24. The Argument

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you thought that the angst was over and that things were finally starting to look up for Tommy then your poorly mistaken.

On Friday Afternoon everyone comes over to Hart House, and Quackity tells us that we have to clean the attic before dinner. Tubbo and I groan.  
"Why????" Tubbo whines.  
"Because it's fucking filthy, that's why, now stop acting so childish."  
"I am a child," Tubbo mumbles under his breath.  
Techno rolls his eyes "I don't think anyone but you cares about the state of the attic, Grandma Quackity."  
"Whatever, come along now, the attic won't clean itself!"  
I wish it could.  
We all trudge up the old creaky steps.  
"I'm sure this won't be to bad guys," Wilbur says. "Just think of it as an adventure."  
The attic is gigantic. The walls are made of wood, There is two big oval shaped Windows, the ceiling is low.  
Inside the attic, there is: A mannequin wearing an old cowboy hat, a huge mirror half-covered with a sheet, and a collection of old bicycles. The attic smells of dust. One corner of the attic is decorated with faded paper covered with crayon drawings. Boxes cover the floor: Cardboard boxes, Wooden boxes, plastic boxes, chests, crates.  
"Techno and Dream will take that wall." Quackity points to the piles near us. "Wilbur and Drista, start cleaning the windows. Tubbo, you and Schlatt will start over there, and Tommy?"  
Quackity turns his attention twords me. "You'll stick with me."  
Tubbo drags himself twords Schlatt. "Shouldn't our parents have to clean too?"  
"If you keep up your whining, I'll make you clean this attic all by yourself." Schlatt says somewhat calmly.  
"You wouldn't!"  
"Try me."  
Tubbo immediately stops complaining.  
We sweep dirt, clean windows, dust cobwebs, and sort through boxes. Quackity arranges three piles: toss, keep, donate. There are boxes labeled Kitchen, Christmas, Tools.

Niki. Minx. (The Greatest).  
Philza.  
I see my father's box before Quackity does and tug it around the covered Christmas tree so he won't see it.  
I grab Schlatts pocket knife when he isn't looking and I slice the box open.  
Inside is a wooden sword, a game boy, books, ribbons for winning school contests, photos of Dad when he was young (Hard to believe that he wasn't old at one point.)  
Photos of Dad with my Aunts. My age. Techno's age. Arms linked. My aunts decided to come upstairs and go through their own boxes. I tuck the photo of Dad in my pocket. Then I find a letter wedged between a high school yearbook and spelling bee trophy. It has Dads neat handwriting on it. It reads:

Papa:  
I'm leaving.  
By the time you find this, I'll be gone.  
I already told Dad. Don't get mad at him. I made him swear not to tell you.  
This is your fucking fault. Don't even dare think for one second that it isn't.

"Tommy, where did you go? Come help me with this bag of clothes. We can donate most of them, I think."  
I jump at the sound of Quackitys voice. The letter falls from my hands.  
"What the hell is up with you?" Quackity feels my forehead. "You look flushed."  
I jerk away from him, grab the letter, and hurry across the attic twords the door. "I....have to take a massive poo."  
"Wait. Stop right there."  
Quackity's voice cuts the room in half. Everyone stops cleaning to stare at us. He must have seen Dad's box. "What do you have in your hand, Tommy?"  
"Nothing." I try to stuff the letter in my pocket, but Quackity is too quick. He grabs the letter, and I pull away.  
It rips in half.  
"Give that to me." He holds out his hand for my piece.  
"That is not for you!"  
Tubbo jumps down from his step stool. What is that?"  
I back away from Quackity and start reading the letter. ""Papa I'm leaving. By the time you find this, I'll be gone.""  
"Tommy, don't." Quackity's voice is steady but stern.  
"Give that to me, now."  
""I already told Dad. Don't get mad at him. I made him swear not to tell you.""  
Minx says, "Dad," in a strained voice.  
"Come on, Tommy." Niki smiles at me, like we are all playing a game  
"Let's not make a big deal out of this."  
Schlatt stares at the letter, his shoulders slumped.  
"I thought I told you to throw that away." Quackity whispers to him.  
"I couldn't, Mi Amore," Schlatt says. "I thought it was important to remember."  
"Remember what?! That are own fucking son left us? That he wants absolutely nothing to do with us?!" Quackity grabs my wrist, tears my piece of the letter out of my hand.  
I am far too shocked to move. "Give it back dickhead! It's mine!"  
"No it isn't." Quackity says coldly before tearing both pieces of the letter into shreds. "It's nothing."  
Niki hugs me. "Tommy, how about you and me go downstairs and listen to some music?"  
I yell at Quackity, "YOU DON'T FUCKING LOVE HIM! YOU NEVER LOVED HIM! NONE OF YOU LOVE HIM! BUT I DO! IT'S MINE! YOU'RE A THIEF, A WANKER!"  
Wilbur starts to tear up. Techno holds him close.  
I cannot look at him. I hate seeing Wilbur cry. Everyone is watching me. Judging me.  
Quackity turns away from me to face everyone else. "We don't have time for this. Let's get back to work. Chop-Chop."  
I run downstairs.

Tubbo sneaks into my room and sits beside me on my bed.  
"You really freaked out Mom, earlier."  
"I don't care."  
I stare out the window.  
I shouldn't have yelled at Quackity.  
He probably hates me now.  
Then again, who doesn't at this point?  
"You honestly freaked me out, yelling like that at Grandma Quackity."  
I ignore what he says. "What did you think of the letter?"  
"I don't fucking know, Tommy. Can't we just forget about this?"  
"Don't be such a pussy, Soldier Tubbo."  
"Quit the L'manburg bullshit, Tommy, okay? This isn't about some game. It's about our family!"  
"It isn't a game. It's real!"  
"It is a game. It was our game, and it's over now. Okay?"  
Tubbo wipes his glossy eyes. "You're so weird. Why are you being like this?"  
I don't know what to say.  
This isn't the Tubbo I know.  
The Tubbo I know wouldn't yell at me.  
This is a fraud. I do not cry in front of frauds.

"I found this." I hand him a photo of his Mom, my Dad, and Aunt Minx. All three of them, at a dinner table, smiling.  
Tubbo examines the photo. I hear Niki calling for him downstairs. They're not going to stay for the night. Usually they would. I fucked everything up again.  
Nice going Tommy.  
You screw up.  
"Don't let Grandma Quackity see it." Tubbo hands me the photo back. "It's a lovely picture."  
"Tubbo?" I call out  
He stops in the doorway. "Yeah?"  
"Your a good friend. Sorry I freaked you out."  
Tubbo walks back over to my bed and gives me a hug. "Why do you think he wrote it?" He whispers. "Why did he leave?"  
Tubbo's breath smells like Quackitys sugar cookies. My Tubbo.  
"I don't know yet. But maybe L'manburg will tell me."  
"My mom might tell us. We could ask her over and over until she gives us an answer."  
"No. Not yet. I need some time to think. Okay? Promise me you won't tell Aunt Niki. Please, Tubbo."  
"Okay, okay, geez."  
"Tubbo! Now. I mean it." Niki calls out.

"Bye, Tommy!"

Why My Dad Left The Family:  
Quackity.


	25. The Duo

It is Thursday at Hart House.  
Everyone is downstairs. I hear a movie playing.  
Aunt Minx brought out the board games after dinner.  
I did not eat with everyone else, claiming I felt sick.  
  
Later I try to sleep, but I just can't do it.  
Someone is pushing a piece of paper beneath my door. I hear footsteps down the stairs.  
The front door opens and shuts.  
Quackity calls out goodbye and watches as the cars leave.  
I get up to read the note.  
It says:

Gma and Gpa going to da city this wknd.  
Tubbo. Wilbur. Dream. Drista.

The note is in Tubbo's handwriting.  
I read the note again: Gma and Gpa going to da city this wknd.  
And then: FYI

I stand outside Techno's bedroom door for five minutes.  
This week on the way to my appointment, he introduced me to Jack Stauber. Me and him are practically brothers now.  
But what if what I ask him is a big deal? What if he gets mad at me? Techno opens the door.  
"Okay, you win. I was going to let you stand here all night, but it turns out I'm not that patient."  
"You knew I was out here?"  
Techno gives me a look I can't quite place.  
"So what is it?"  
I follow him into his room. "Well.. It's complecated."  
"Spit it out, Toms."  
"I wasn't really sick tonight. Or, I was, kind of, but not in the way everyone thinks."  
"Okay..."  
"I was feeling stressed."  
"About your parents?"  
"I guess. It's fine though."  
I am a lucky kid. I am alive and safe.  
I have my L'manburg.  
So I need to stop complaining.  
"Hey. I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about that.  
So, anything else on your mind?" Techno asks. "You don't have to tell me but maybe it'll help?"  
"Yeah. I think it would be cool if everyone came over Saturday night and we had a giant party while Quackity and Schlatt are in the city."  
"Man, I thought you'd say something way worse. You were looking so serious and Tommyish."  
I laugh at the word Tommyish. Techno thinks he knows me well enough to turn my name into a word.  
"The thing is, I'd like it to be a secret."  
"You'd like what to be a secret?"  
"The party, Techno! Keep up! I want you to drive me to everyone's houses and help me sneak them out while the adults are asleep and then we bring them here to have a secret party. I want us to be able to go in L'manburg without anyone finding out." I mumble the last part to myself.  
"Are you serious?" Techno asks.  
"Definitely!"  
Techno sighs. "Alright. I'll do it."  
I gasp. "Really?"  
"Really."  
"Why?"  
"Because your my cousin. And I know that if I do this it'll make you happy. Also Wilbur won't shut up about you. He texts me constantly for updates about you."  
"FUCK YEAHHHH! LETSSSS GO!"  
"Honestly I think this whole situation is stupid. Grandma Quackity and Grandpa Schlatt should let you guy's play in the forest. Like who cares? Your literally eleven."  
"They don't like the Baileys."  
"Eh, they're snobs. They need to get over it."  
"I think it's more then that. Something happened when they were all teenagers. My Aunts, My Dad and Mr. Bailey. Something nobody wants to talk about. I think it's why Dad wrote that lettter."  
"Maybe he was just being dramatic. Most teenagers are."  
"Maybe. Did you know there was a fire back in the woods?"  
"The Travers fire? Sure."  
"Did you know your Mom and Aunts Minx, tried to save the family but they couldn't?"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. And no one talks about it. That's strange, right?"  
"Yeah, I guess."  
. . .  
"We're gonna have the greatest party ever."  
"Damn right we are!"


	26. The Party

Ranboo,  
You and George meet us at the Tower Tonight at 11:45.  
The old people are out of town.  
I'm throwing a party tonight.  
If you don't fucking come I will beat you up.  
-Tommy

First we pick up Tubbo and Wilbur.  
Techno has his car lights turned off so he won't alert Niki.  
I'm in the passenger seat, texting Tubbo.  
Five seconds later his window inches open.  
He and Wilbur pop out his window screen then they climb outside and hop into Techno's car.  
We drive away from Niki's house.  
Then Tubbo practically bursts.  
"Oh my god! This is so cool! I've never sneaked out before! I'm so excited I could punch someone! I could seriously do it."  
Techno snorts. "I'd like to see that."  
"Calm the fuck down Tubbo." Wilbur smiles.  
We then go to pick up the twins.  
Wilbur sneaks inside the house and goes to get them.  
Me, Tubbo, and Techno all hold are breathes as we wait for Wilbur to return.  
Wilbur finally comes back with both twins in hand.  
The twins are chanting, "Par-y! Part-y"  
"Holy shit, that was intense." Wilbur sighs in relief.  
"How does it feel to sneak out for the first time, Wilbur?" Tubbo asks.  
"It feels good."  
"Let's get tattoos next!" I shout.  
"No one's getting tattoos." Techno glares at us in the rearview mirror. "Nobody's allowed to get tattoos under my supervision."

L'manburg is dark.  
Tonight there is no moon. Clouds hide the stars in the sky.  
All we have to light up the night is our flashlights and the lanterns around the Tower.  
Wilbur pulls up Spotify on his phone. One of Techno's party rules is that he gets to choose the music. Apparently Wilbur also likes the musical Hamilton as well so Him and Techno both decided to play the Hamilton soundtrack.  
Wilbur and Techno are singing along to the music, Tubbo is setting up snacks, Drista is going around threatening people with a fork, and Dreams running around the backyard.

"This looks pretty good so far right?" Techno says looking around. I thought it would be weird introducing Techno to L'manburg. I thought he would laugh in my face and call me stupid or some shit. But no, he really seems to be enjoying himself.  
Drista drags Techno away to the Tower, because Drista wants Techno to add his art to the collection of paintings.  
Techno belongs here. In L'manburg.  
I hear shouts from across the lake.  
"Ranboo!" I yell excitedly.  
Ranboo and George cross over to where we are.  
Ranboo is wearing an eye patch made out of construction paper and George looks tired.  
"Hey, Tommy, Tubbo!"  
Techno walks over to us. "So you're Ranboo, huh?"  
"The one and only!"  
"He's a pirate!" Dream points out.  
"Sure am! Be careful I might steal your gold!"  
"Yeah both Ranboo and George are pirates. They used to be jerks but there good now." Tubbo says  
Techno nods his head. "Ah, I see."  
"And you must be the guy who paints." Ranboo says.  
"My name's, Techno. And yes, I do tend to dabble in the arts."  
"Tommy says that your really cool."  
"Hm? Is that so? Well I suppose I am pretty cool, aren't I?" Techno gives me a kind smile.

The night goes on. Everyone seems to be having a blast.  
That is until I hear George yell, "Stop it!"  
I turn around and see Wilbur trying to start a fire.  
He has made a circle out of stones, with sticks piled in the middle of it. He is holding a lighter that he got from the kitchen. 

"It's not a big deal." Wilbur says. "It'll be a little one. How else are we supposed to make s'mores?"  
George slaps the lighter out of his hand.  
Wilbur stares at him, speechless.  
Techno trys to intervene.  
"Hey, what's the problem?"  
"My problem is that it's dangerous."  
"It's fine, George! We have a fucking garden hose."  
"Right. Have you ever seen a forrest fire? They're massive!"  
"But, George I want s'mores." Ranboo says.  
"Dad told us to never make a fire near the woods!"  
"Since when did you care what Dad thinks?"  
"Shut up, Ranboo. Your not the oldest."  
"Yeah well, I'm more mature then you!"  
"I said shut up!" George sholves Ranboo.  
"Please stop," Wilbur says. "You're freaking out Tubbo!"  
"How about we just eat the s'mores uncooked?" Tubbo suggests.

"What kind of s'mores are uncooked?" I ask.  
Wilbur decides to light the pile of sticks on fire.  
The fire grows quickly.  
Wilbur backs away.  
George and Ranboo start panicking. George screams. "Put it out!" And he kicks dirt onto the fire.  
  
Then Ranboo and George get into a big argument.  
"Stop it!" Wilbur shouts but the two don't listen.  
Techno grabs George's shoulders. "Cut it out! Now is not the time to argue! If you want to argue then go home and do it."  
Ranboo and George glare at eachother then give Techno a nod.  
I think everything might be okay until Wilbur lights the fire again.  
"It's not a big deal." He insists.  
"Fine, light your stupid fire. I'm gonna tell Dad."  
George says.  
"Come on, George! Don't be like that!"  
"Be quiet, Ranboo."  
"Wilbur just put out the fire." Techno says.  
"But-"

"I don't want to hear it. Put it out."  
But it's to late. George is running twords his house.  
I take off after him.  
"Tommy!" Ranboo calls. I hear him running after me.  
I run up the hill as fast as I can.  
I finally catch up to George.  
"Please George, Quackity will be so mad!"  
"I told you guys not to start a fire! Yet, Wilbur wouldn't listen!"  
"Wilbur's just weird! He likes fire, it calms him."  
"The thought of burning down the woods calms him?"  
"I don't know man! Please just don't tell your father. You might never get to hang out with us ever again!"  
George sighs then looks up to the clouds.  
"Okay... But I'm going to bed. Goodnight." George says coldly before going inside and slamming the door.  
Ranboo finally catches up to me. We both exchange a look.  
"I'm so sorry about all of this." He then goes inside as well.  
Tonight was a fucking train wreck.  
Why can't I just have something nice?


	27. The Despair

After the party, Techno and I take everyone home. Then we return to Hart House and get rid of the party decorations. Techno makes me potato pancakes at four in the morning. I can only take a few bites of it.  
I'm still upset about my party going wrong.  
Now it is twelve in the morning. Quackity and Schlatt should be home soon.  
I should probably shower; my hands are covered with dirt.  
At two in the morning I see Schlatt's car pull up in the driveway. I sneak downstairs and see Quackity go straight to his room.  
I find Schlatt on the couch, staring at the blank tv.  
"Schlatt? Are you okay, man?"  
He smiles at me tiredly.  
"I'm fine, kiddo." He pats the seat next to me.  
"Is Quackity okay?"  
"He's just tired, he'll feel better with some rest."  
"Do you want to go on a drive, big man?"  
"Not today. I've already been driving around all weekend. But I actually wanted to tell you something." He clears his throat. "Your parents are coming by this evening."  
"My....Parents.."  
"Yes. They're coming over for dinner. They wanted to surprise you but I though I should give you a heads up."

They world goes silent. There is only one reason they would want to surprise me. It must be because they're getting a divorce.

"Okay." I say. 

Mom and Dad come by around five PM.  
Quackity is still asleep in his room which is probably for the best.  
I hug Dadza and Mom on the outside I look so happy and energetic but on the inside I have a huge pit in my stomach and my mind is racing with thoughts such as, 'It's most likely your fault that their getting a divorce' 'Their getting a divorce, Tommy and there's nothing you can do about it.'  
'This is their decision, Tommy. Stop being so selfish and grow the fuck up. If they want to get a divorce then that's that so stop complaining and get a hold of yourself' Schlatt gives us leftover spaghetti for dinner. I don't eat.  
Techno is sitting across from me, watching me. I can't take this anymore.  
"Why the hell are you guys here?" I ask.  
Everyone goes silent before Mom responds, "We wanted to see you." She smiles at me.  
"Well I don't believe you."  
Schlatt sets down his fork. "Hey, Techno how about we give them some space, yeah?"  
After Techno and Schlatt leave, I am stuck with my parents.  
Please come back Techno, Is what I would say if I was a kid but I'm a big man. I can handle this on my own.  
"So!" Dadza tries his best to sound cheerful. "You know Fundy?"  
"Yeah."  
"I heard he bought a Maid Dress."  
Mom laughs, kind of. At least it fills the silence in the dining room.  
"So, Tommy, we've got something important to tell you, and it's not going to be an easy thing for us to say, or for you to hear."  
"You might not want to talk to us about it at first," Mom says, "not for a while, and that's okay."  
"Mom?"  
"Yeah, Toms? What's wrong?"  
I'm not sure, that's my problem. I don't know what's wrong.  
Then Mom and Dadza tell me.  
Everything sounds like static.  
"We'll always love each other...just not in the same way we used to.  
"Sometimes you can love someone, then things change."  
"This isn't you fault. Okay, Mate?"  
No. No. No. No.  
This can't be happening.  
"So we think it'd be a good idea if you came home with us instead of waiting a couple more weeks. Then we can start figuring out some things. There'll be a lot of big changes but-"  
"I'm not leaving."  
"I know it's hard but-"  
"If you make me leave, I'll hate you for ever!"

Dadza tries to hug me but I jerk away and run to the other side of the room.  
"Why can't you see that I'm having fun?! I'm staying until the end of the summer like we said. I shouldn't have to leave because of your stupid fucking problems!"  
Mom starts to cry but I don't care. This is their fault.  
"Toms, we need to start tackling this as a family, it'll be easier if you're home with us."  
"Home? What fucking Home?! What Family?! We're not a family anymore. That's what you just said isn't it? This is my family now! This is my home!" I don't know what I'm saying. "You brought me here, you practically forced me to come here! I'm staying. Isn't this what you wanted? You can leave now."

I walk away. I go upstairs to my bedroom and lie on my covers, hardly moving. Techno comes in my room before bed.  
"Hey. Your parents left, huh?"  
. . .

"You wanna watch a movie in my room?"

. . .

"Tommy, talk to me."

I get up and tear a page from my notebook. I write the words, DIVORCE, on it.  
Techno doesn't say anything.  
He sits down beside me and we both stare at the wall as if it's the most interesting thing in the world.


	28. The Hatred

The twins got poison ivy.  
Aunt Minx brought them over after breakfast, and their legs are all red and itchy.  
Quackity kneels in front of Dream. "How did this even happen?"  
"I have no idea when or how this happened," Aunt Minx says. "They haven't been near poison ivy all week! It makes no fucking sense."  
Dream looks at me.  
"It was a witch's curse!"  
"These are our battle scars!" Drista explains to Quackity and Aunt Minx. "It's not a big deal, Mom. It was just a party. Haven't you ever snuck out before? I bet you haven't, loser."  
The goes cold. Drista looks nervous all of a sudden. She looks at me and Techno.  
"I was just kidding." She says quietly.  
"I see." Quackity stands up.  
Aunt Minx frowns. "A witches curse? The hell is that supposed to mean? Is this part of some game? Dream tell me what happened this instant. What party?"  
Now everyone's staring at, Dream, waiting for a response. I stand anxiously hoping that Dream won't say anything.  
Soon Dream cracks under pressure and tells them everything.  
This wasn't supposed to happen.

When Dream is done, Quackity goes upstairs.  
Shit.  
"What are you doing?" Aunt Minx asks  
"I'm putting a stop to this!"  
I hear the door to my room open.  
Fuck.  
Fuck  
Fuck.  
"Quackity, take a chill pill, man!"  
Techno follows me upstairs. He is saying something to me and Quackity about how he is taking full responsibiliy but I don't really care.  
Quackity takes my notebook out of my backpack. I run to grab my notebook and try to pull it out of his hands.  
"Stop it! That's mine, asshole! It's mine!"  
Schlatt walks into the room and holds my hand tight. "It's okay, Tommy. We're not going to throw it away. It's only for a while."  
"Where are you wankers taking it?! I want it back!"  
I kick Schlatt in the leg but it's no use, he doesn't budge. I see Techno in the corner of my room.  
"Techno! Take it Techno! Make them stop this madness!"  
Techno looks very uncomfortable. "Tommy, it'll be okay. I'm sorry, Grandma Quackity. The party was all my idea, I swear. Tommy didn't do anything."  
"Wow, Techno, I never imagined you would do something so irresponsible. Sneaking your eight-year-old cousins out in the middle of the night?"  
"I know, it was stupid-"  
Aunt Minx is standing in the doorway, both twins by her side. "What is going on?"  
"Minx, take the twins downstairs. You'll upset them." Schlatt says.

While Schlatt is distracted, I break free of his grip and try to grab my notebook from Quackity but he has a good hold on it.  
"Just give it back, stupid!"  
"Tommy, I'm just trying to help you. You've been spending so much time in that fantasy world of yours to the point where you might think it's real. We'll all have fun tonight, you can listen to some music downstairs with us. Doesn't that sound fun?" Quackity hands my notebook to Schlatt Everyone decides to leave the room.  
  
God, I hate Quackity so much right now.  
Quackity wraps me in a hug.  
"Let go of me, you monster!" I try to break free of the hug but it's no use.  
"Shhh, it's okay, Tommy!"  
I will not listen. Not to him. Not to any of them.  
"Just give it back."  
"Let's just relax, Tommy, your okay. We've got you, Tommy. Everything's okay."  
"My parents are getting a..."  
Quackity hugs me tighter. "I know, Tommy. I know. You can cry, Tommy, I'm here."  
I didn't cry just to be clear. Okay, fine, maybe I did tear up a little..  
Quackity begins to sing me some lullaby in spanish. Usually I'd protest and say something like, I'm too old for lullabies but oddly enough I find the lullaby kinda comforting even if I don't know the lyrics. My eyes start to droop a little.  
"Please...just give it back, Quackity..." I let out a yawn. It's been a few days since I've gotten a good sleep.  
"I'm sorry, Tommy." Quackity gets up and offers me his hand.  
"I don't need your help, idiot." I get up on my own.  
I lay under the quilt on my bed waiting for Quackity to leave but surprisingly he doesn't. Instead he sits in a wooden rocking chair next to my bed.  
"Goodnight, Tommy."  
"Goodnight...Quackity..."


	29. The Bickering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a short chapter before we get into the angsty stuff. I'm not sure how in character Eret is in this chapter but uhhhhh oh well.

I wake up to find, Quackity still asleep in the rocking chair.  
Did he really stay there the whole afternoon?  
Oh well, it doesn't matter.  
Techno's in his bedroom, and Schlatt is no where to be found.  
I take this opportunity to sneak outside and cross the bridge and into L'manburg. I see the Grave House in the lonely gray field.  
I walk up the porch. "Hello? Anyone home? Ranboo?"  
Perhaps Ranboo is cleaning somewhere. But the Grave House is quiet. I am all alone.  
I scoff. "Figures."

I wander around the empty house to see all the work, Ranboo and George did. It's much more organized and comfortable looking now. There is a stack of blankets on the couch. In the kitchen there is a painting of 7 children. It's us. Wilbur, Tubbo, Dream, Drista, George, Ranboo, and Me. I smile. Man, I look good in that painting. It must have taken ages for George and Ranboo to make the house look this neat. There is still some trash littered around place but besides that the house is looking really good. After looking around for a bit longer I decide to go over to George + Ranboo's, house.  
I have to make sure George isn't still mad at me.  
When I get to the front door, I hear voices around the house.  
One of them is Schlatts.  
I peek around the corner and see Schlatt and Ranboo's Dad arguing in the driveway.  
Schlatt hands Ranboo's Dad an envelope. "Just take it, Eret."  
Eret replies, "I'm tired of your pity money, just go back home to your mansion, Schlatt."  
"And how will you provide for your boys?" Schlatt asks "Schools coming up, they'll need a lot shit like, clothes, supplies-"  
"Oh please, George found two backpacks stuffed full of school supplies on our porch. Wonder where those came from, huh? Look I appreciate it but my kids and I don't need your pity."  
Did Quackity and Schlatt give the Baileys school supplies? I thought they hated The Baileys.  
"Well somebody's gotta provide for them." Says Schlatt.  
"Are you saying that I'm a bad father? I can take care of my own kids, Schlatt."  
"Some days you can. Other days.."  
"Well maybe things wouldn't be so bad if your family hadn't-"  
"Don't even fucking start with that! You had problems long before the fire and you know it!"  
Fire? What fire? The fuck? It isn't that fire, is it?  
The Travers Fire.

Schlatt pats Eret on the shoulder. He forces the envelope into Erets hands then he drives away. Eret comes around the porch and finds me.  
We stare at each.  
"Hey, Tommy! You want some money? Your Grandpa gave me tons."  
"Why?"  
"Well, once upon a time, there was a royal family who lived in a castle and one day they did something bad so they paid the cool guy across the river to keep their secret and make sure he never told anyone."  
"Oh." A sudden realization hits me. The royal family is my family and the, 'Cool Guy' is Eret.  
"You're lying."  
Eret shakes his head "I wish I was."  
"Dad? Who are talking to?" George's voice calls out from inside.  
I scram off the porch before George can see me.


	30. The Escape

In the afternoon, Techno doesn't drive me to me appointment.  
Schlatt does.  
We do not speak.  
Which is completely fine with me. I do not want to talk to some old man who is dumb and keeping secrets from me.  
Eret was lying. He had to be lying. Maybe he was just zooted or some shit? But it makes sense.  
My aunts were heroes, but no one ever talks about it.  
The fire took place about twenty-two years ago. Dadza was fourteen years old. Eventually he left.  
He had an argument with Quackity.  
Almost everything makes sense but there's still some things that don't.  
I can't believe it's true, if it is then I don't think I could ever look at my grandparents the same way again.  
I glance over at Schlatt.  
He looks tired as fuck just like last night.  
I almost tell him about how I heard him talking to Eret but I decide it's best if I don't tell him. Plus I don't think I'm ready for the truth right now. Not now. Perhaps not ever.

When BadBoyHalo joins me in his office he looks cheerful as ever.  
"Hi, Tommy! Wanna muffin? I've got plenty in my container."  
"Sure."  
"Okay!" BadBoyHalo hands me a blueberry muffin. "So, I heard you had quite the eventful week."  
I take a bite of my muffin and shrug. "Yeah, I guess."  
"You want to talk about it?"  
"Not really."  
"You know I snuck out of my house once when I was a teen to hang out with, Skeppy. I still feel kinda ashamed to this day."  
At least he didn't start a fucking fire and sneaked his cousins out of their house's.  
"I'm glad you made friends with the Bailey Boys. They need it."  
"What do you mean? You know them?"  
"Sure. Skeppy is a teacher at their school. They seem to be good kids but don't really have any friends. Ranboo's about your age, right? Maybe a little older."  
"I think so."  
"They were hanging out with you and your cousins, right?"  
"Yes."  
"Why do you think your grandparents have a problem with that?"  
I'm so sick and tired of BadBoyHalo's stupid questions.  
Why can't he just leave me alone?  
"I don't know, man."  
The truth is I do know.  
It's because Eret knows their secret. It all makes sense.  
(Eret must be lying! He has to be!)  
"Tommy. Hey, can you look at me for a second?"  
All of a sudden BadBoyHalo's phone rings and he goes to answer it. I feel so fucking tired right now.  
"Tommy, I'm so sorry but I have to go talk to another patient it'll only be for a couple minutes. I'll be right back okay?"  
I only nod.

Once BadBoyHalo leaves the room I look outside his open window and hear birds chirping. His window is open.  
I hurry twords it and climb out.  
It's not my fault Bad was stupid enough to leave his window open.  
I doubt that he'll ever leave his window open after this.  
I shut the window behind me. I peek through the window just to make sure Bad isn't there. Good. He isn't.  
I run away from the building and let out a victory cheer.  
"FUCK YEAHHHH. LET'S GOOOOOO!!!"  
\--------------------------------------------------------

I think I might be lost.  
I'm trying to follow the route to BadBoyHalo's office in reverse.  
Suddenly it begins to rain.  
"Just my luck." I mumble under my breath.  
It's getting dark out and the rain is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon and all I'm wearing is a white short-sleeve shirt and dark green cargo shorts.  
"Shit."  
after awhile I finally find the train tracks, I'll follow them to wherever they may lead me.  
The wind is really starting to pick up.  
I'm shivering like crazy, hugging myself for warmth.  
I run beside the tracks as fast as I can. (Which isn't very fast.)  
Until someone accidentally bumps into me, causing me to fall to the ground and scrape my knee. "Hey watch where your going pal-"  
"T-Tommy? Is that you?"  
I look up to see, Ranboo who is covered in a thick rain coat and is holding a black and white umbrella and George who is wearing a blue jacket and has no umbrella.  
"Ranboo? George? Is that really you guys?" I get up off the ground.  
"Yeah! Everyone's looking for you, Tommy! Everyone is worried sick about you, including myself!"  
Ranboo and George pull me into a hug.  
Everyone actually cared?  
They went looking for me?  
Holy shit, I messed up.  
George let's go of me. "It's been hours, Tommy! It's almost seven!"  
"Really?"  
"Yes!"  
"What happened?" Ranboo asks  
"I wanted to run away. My grandparents hate me. And i'm a bad influence on my cousins."  
"Come on, Tommy, that's not true!"  
"Did they actually go looking for me?"  
"Yeah, obviously! They care about you, Tommy."  
A crash of thunder scares the three of us.  
"Come with us."  
Ranboo and George lead me to the Grave House.  
We all huddle on the couch with blankets wrapped around us.  
"My parents are getting a divorce." I admit to them.  
George and Ranboo hug me again.  
"I'm sorry to hear that, Tommy."  
"Yeah sorry, that sucks, man."  
"Yeah, I know."  
"Are you okay?"  
"No. And that's not even the worse part."  
"There's worse?" George asks  
I tell them how their Dad told me about my family and The Travers Fire. They look just as shocked as I was when I first heard the news.  
We sit in silence for a few minutes until George speaks. "But...why would they do that? You don't think they did it on purpose, do you?"  
"I don't know what to think anymore. Can I still even consider them my grandparents? I don't know if I can."  
"Our Dad can't provide for us sometimes but we still consider him our Dad."  
"I guess I can still consider them my grandparents then.."  
I decide to change the topic. "Did you guys paint that over there?"  
I point twords the painting in the kitchen.  
"Yeah, mostly me." Ranboo admits.  
"I was too busy sleeping to help, Ranboo."  
I laugh. Classic George. It's good to know that at least somethings never change.  
"Well, we should probably get you back home before your family thinks you've died."  
I sigh. "Yeah, we probably should."  
We all get up off the couch.  
"Let's go."  
Let's find out the truth, once and for all.


	31. The Injured

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains slight mention of blood and injury

As we make our way back through the woods, the storm knocks braches from trees and blows leaves all around.  
I try not to feel too guilty about Schlatt and Quackity searching for me. I mean technically their the reason I ran away in the first plase so this is mostly their fault. But I still can't help but feel at least a little guilty about the whole thing.  
I hear a scream.

"Did you hear that?" Ranboo asks  
"Yeah."  
I hear it again. The voice sounds familiar.  
I know that voice.  
It comes from the direction of the bridge.  
Drista.  
I run twords the sound, leaving Ranboo and George behind.  
My boots are soaked with mud.  
At the river the water is overflowing with rushing water that is going extremely fast.  
Dream, on his side of the river, face up in the water, his sweater is stuck on a branch.  
Drista is kneeling on the shore beside him, screaming. She pulls on his sweater, but it's no use.  
They must have crossed the bridge, and then-  
"Drista!" I shout  
Drista hugs me. Her green hoodie is drenched with water. "He fell! Do something, Tommy! Please!"  
"Uhhhhhhh, stay here! Don't move."

I head for the water. With a crack a large branch breaks from its tree and drops into the river. A second later it's swept away.  
The branch holding Dreams sweater shifts. The water pulls and pulls at him.  
"AHHH HOLY SHIT!"  
Ranboo and George run to my side.  
"I'll go." Ranboo says.  
Ranboo makes his way down the muddy slope. Me and George follow him. I tell Drista to stay where she is.  
We get Dream out of the water and safely on land.  
He has a bunch of scrapes on him and his skin is cold.  
I start panicking. "What do we do now? I don't know what to do!"  
"Out of the way, guys." Ranboo pushes past us. Me and George back up to give him room. Ranboo presses on his chest. Dream coughs up water.  
"Is he okay?!" Drista asks  
Dream groans, his eyes begin to shut.  
"Dream? Dream! Stay with me big man!"  
"Something's not right." Ranboo says  
Ranboo moves Dreams hair back to reveal a gash on his forehead. It's red with blood. "Oh no."  
Drista starts crying into my shirt. "We didn't mean to! We just wanted to look for you!"  
"What?"  
"You were missing. Everyone's looking for you but they were looking in all the wrong places! We knew you liked the woods so we tried looking there, but-"  
"You guys really went looking for me?"  
"We thought if we find you, we would be soldiers!"  
"We shouldn't move him. Me and George will stay here. You go get help." Ranboo says.

This is all my fault.  
I shouldn't have introduced them to L'manburg.  
I'm the reason Dream is injured.  
This is my fau-

"Go get help, Tommy! Hurry" George shouts  
Crossing the bridge is not an option.  
It is slick with rain and has rushing water underneath it.  
I try to do what I'm best at: screaming. I scream twords Hart House but it's no use, the storm drowns out my voice.  
I see police lights outside Hart House.  
Quackity must have called the cops.  
There is only one place I can go to:  
The Bailey household.  
I run up the hill, past the tree's, I climb up the roots.  
I scream and pound on Erets door.  
"Please! Eret! Please!"  
The door opens.  
"Eret, man! Please! I need your phone! My cousin, Dream is hurt and I need a phone!"  
Eret leads me inside. "It's okay, Tommy. It's okay."  
Eret dials someone on a flip phone.  
"Hey, Schlatt. It's me, Eret. Listen your grandsons here. He's okay. But he says that his cousin, Dream is by the river and needs help... Yeah okay. I'll tell him. Thanks."  
Eret hangs up.  
He pulls me into a hug. "It's okay, Tommy. Someone's coming to get you."

A few minutes later the door flys open.  
Techno bursts into the room and hugs me. The hug is far less awkward then the first time he hugged me, this hug feels way more comfortable  
Tubbo and Wilbur barge into the room soon after.  
"T-Tommy.. I- we thought you were gone.." Wilbur crys into my shoulder.  
Niki calls out my name.


End file.
